Despite my eager willingness to continue with my stated research mission after my daring yet victorious fight with the mantis lords, It took me a decent couple of days lying in bed to recover, the maneuvers that I undertook put an unaccounted strain on my body.
I barely noticed it at the time due to the adrenaline still surging through my body and generally being sidetracked by the excitement of the moment, but I barely made it a mile before collapsing from the pain.
At this time I was in a state of drifting in and out of consciousness, each time I was asleep being met with that same familiar bright, warm orange glow that came from the being I came to know as the radiance.
On top of her trying to console and comfort me as my body healed, I felt it necessary to begin to probe her for much-needed answers to for the sake of not just for the sake of research my communications with this entity but finding out further details about this so-called kings brand she spoke of.
"The brand in which you seek child is located far to the east of here towards the kingdom's edge, it lies within the giant shedded shell of the wrym's larval form, there lies within the brand that will enable you to access that which he has forbidden"
"...and with that brand, I will be able to reopen the black egg and free you from your unjust prison."
"Most excellent, even better is the case your comatose state is drawing to a close and I wish you well on your quest east child and may my light guide and protect you on your journey through this desolate land…see you soon…"
"But wait… why me?!"
But it was already too late as the scene faded to white as I came to, being met with the familiar face of Iktomi and the nurse that was looking over me.
Instead of the expected expression of relief, Both looked decidedly nervous and agitated. Both seemed reluctant to speak up even when they noticed I was fully awake.
Wanting to break the awkward silence, I carefully sat up, not wishing to reopen any wound I wasn't currently aware of, as I spoke up.
"Iktomi..nurse... what's wrong?"
Iktomi was interrupted by his thoughts and looked over towards me with an uncharacteristic look of worry.
"Nolan.. I and the nurse are glad that you have seemed to have fully recovered. But there is something that has us on edge as of late."
"What's wrong? Am I going to be okay?!"
"I wish I could say that everything was fine, but I assure you that your recovery was disturbingly FASTER than expected, we suspect that the void has been continuing to spread through your system at an alarming pace and infusing itself in with your tissue."
I could only sit there and listen to this revelation in utter shock.
"In fact, both the nurse and I were certain that if it wasn't for the VOID keeping you alive, you just might haven't made it. You may have been able to successfully block all their attacks, but momentum carries, that final maneuver was probably the most intensive on your body.
By the ancestors, we are all relieved that you are alright Nolan."
I took a small pause to process what he was telling me, Hornet made sure to train me to my absolute peak fitness and made sure I was more than ready to face any threat this forsaken kingdom could throw at me.
But as she has even noticed herself, my human biology would prove to be my limit.
But with the void spreading through my system, however, that is proving to be less and less of an issue, however worrisome that might be.
Speaking of which.
"Wheres Hornet?"
Iktomi let out a lighthearted chuckle in an attempt to bleed off the tension in the room.
"I was just about to get to that, she is currently busy off on another patrol through the area and should be back in the next hour. She also thought you had yet a day or more until you came too, so she didn't consider it rude to get some work done, it is a very important job being a sole heir and self sworn guardian of Hallownest after-all."
"Heh, yeah I suppose that's true, she is mostly business anyway, so this doesn't surprise me one bit."
Iktomi smirked coyly at my comment.
"Of course, annoyingly enough, the royal physician has yet to perform a few more tests before you are set for release. He is also interested in taking a blood sample to better study the effects that VOID is having on your body. But I think it's something you shouldn't worry about if it is proving beneficial."
I suppose Iktomi had a real point there, although who knows what else it might try to do, symbiotic relationships ask for something in return and who knows what exactly it wants.
"Anyways Nolan I wish the best of luck on your continued research and as a gift to help you along I left you an abridged translation of the history of spider kind in your backpack."
"Wow, thanks Iktomi."
"Don't mention it, I will be back in the weavers' den if you need anything from me, I have a few kinks I need to work out on a new crystal generator, see you soon."
With that Iktomi left the room with a wave, the nurse telling me the doctor would be in shortly.
The weavers' ability to shape-shift certainly is something that comes to good use when handling more delicate and precise instruments, not to mention having a human face taking a blood sample and other physical examinations is a lot less intimidating than staring at the maw of a fearsome and intelligent predator.
With that finished and the doctor saying I was good to go, I collected my belonging and went to the bathroom to change.
I made the judgment call that based on the fact that I will encounter dangers as life-threatening if not even more so than the mantis lords, I considered it wise to continue with my spider knight uniform while I was continuing my research in Hallownest, it provided the needed protection that my simple shirt and jacket couldn't offer.
With the dual nail strapped to my back and the protective mask on my face, I made it outside and, following what hornet taught me, focused my SOUL into the silk as I was lofted into the air with the support of a series of razor-thin strands.
With a slight deviation of technique in making sure to carefully slow my descent upon landing, I was otherwise flying through the air at incredible speed, I estimated that I was going a good 30-40 miles per hour.
The mantis village was the next subject of my research on my way to the kingdom's edge, my welcome there of course being as cold as I would expect from someone that humiliated their leadership.
The mantis lords, well aware of the tension that could flare up into an unwelcome fight breaking out, assigned to me an official escort for as long as I remained in their settlement.
He was a male mantis, unlike the other mantises that were begging in their minds to have my head impaled one of their many spikes, showed an enthusiastic curiosity in me and was quick to a conversation, the magic Iktomi bestowed on me doing its work in translating the syntax of the language into English with a German accent, perhaps it is their martial culture that explains the translation convention, but my guess is about as good as anyones.
"Hello Nolan, or should I properly address you as Sir Burton?"
"Nolan is just fine." again, I wasn't one to get my horn tooted by titles.
"Ahh, so humble, I appreciate that," He said scribbling away with a metal stylus and a stone tablet."
"As you can already notice, we do have hands. Our natural blades are shed along with our wings as we reach maturity.. but I suppose you already managed to figure that out.."
"Yeah, I kind of could piece it together on my own, but can I ask why you are recording me."
"Well I was about to introduce myself, I am Edmund, I am the village's official records keeper and scribe, I am in charge of keeping track of any important findings or happenings that would be of consideration to our society and the keeping of records thereof."
"..and that event of note is of course."
"You? But of course."
First Quirrel and now this guy, makes me wonder if I have my work cut out for me if I'm not the only bookworm in this kingdom.
Now with first impressions out of the way.
"So Edmund, how long have you've been this village's bookkeeper?"
"About as long as I remember actually, I took this position over from my father who in turn took it over from my father's father, and so on, I am proud of my work. Despite it not being as noble or revered as that of a warrior or hunter, it is a necessary position to keep a record of our knowledge to be passed down through future generations, ahh such a wonderful gift writing is. Follow me, I have much to show you back in the records hall."
Well, I should consider myself glad that the Mantises are showing to be more than what I got from first impressions of them being all strike first and ask questions later as he continued to lead me around the village to his office.
"So are you telling me that you don't know how to fight like the others?"
"Well I am obviously capable of defending myself if that's what you're wondering, but only females are permitted to fill almost all roles concerning the defense of our village. Males, on the other hand, are relegated to support and care-taking roles. Cooking, cleaning, caring for eggs and larvae, medicine, those sorts of things."
"I see, and I would guess that having a male on the council of lords is a recent development."
The glares we were getting were almost unbearable almost as if on cue of saying that, I think Edmund had the right idea getting us a bit of privacy as we were discussing some presumably unsavory subject matter about the recently reinstated mantis lord.
"His position has adopted a means of resolving disputes peacefully between the genders, which before ended with aggressive bickering and infighting. Come, it's not wise to speak of such subjects in public."
With that, he pushed aside the curtain and in a show of surprising courtesy, let me through first as his welcome guest before following closely behind as I was met with neatly ordered stacks of stone tablets, seeming to be sorted based on both dates, purpose, and topic.
"His position is considered tenuous at best, even I am puzzled as to why you were so insistent on restoring the disgraced male mantis lord, he showed it proof enough that males are unfit for positions of authority, to think I was naive enough to think we could prove them wrong."
I tensed a little at his resigned attitude as he got behind his work desk and sat down, he couldn't just let one disappointment give him an excuse to just give up and I couldn't just stand by and let this stand!
"You can't just let the failings of one person give you a reason to give up hope, you still have more than enough of a chance males are just as capable of warriors as any female."
"How do suppose I do that.." Edmund uttered with a sigh. "and why bring this up now, we have yet to translate the first tablet of our history into that book of yours and you are already off daydreaming, how do you ever hope to be a great teacher at this rate."
If he thinks I can just walk away from this situation, that is where he is dead wrong.
"Edmund, I am serious! You know that you are capable of more than what those lords thought appropriate to give you, you can be just as fearsome of a warrior as anyone else.
"You question our lord's decisions?! how dare yo…"
"I did so once and I'll do so again! I showed they are far from infallible as they think they are. But unlike them, I can't force you to do anything, it's ultimately up to you. You can either stay in the background keeping records of the stories of others or you can stand up proud and forge your own."
He just sat there quiet, confused as you what to even do or say next, all I offered was the truth, a chance to let him be true to himself.
"Well, which is it?!"
He was silent as he grabbed the first tablet and put it on his desk.
"I...need some time to think about it. But for now, let me help you with your study of our people. See our perspective on things."
With that, we agreed to put it aside for now as he helped show me a variety of different tablets, explaining each one purpose whether it be agriculture, hunting methods, medical knowledge as I made as much of an effort to offer an abridged translation of each, taking my mask off as the narrow eye holes got in the way of writing out comprehensive notes.
"Ahh, so tell me what is the name of your species, I have never seen such an intelligent creature without a shell in my whole life outside of cursory rumors and legends."
With his curiosity peaked at him seeing my true face, I shouldn't be surprised when the student became the subject.
"Oh? I am what's called a human"
he tilted his head inquisitively as he attempted to process the new word into his vocabulary.
"HOOman." was all he could attempt in his pronunciation, embarrassingly enough.
"No, it's pronounced HUE man. N, HUE. MAN."
"Hu...man, oh I get it now," he exclaimed in delight at the correction as he scribbled out the mistake and wrote the proper spelling, being called a HOOman would be an embarrassing mistake to be added to the mantis archives if I say so myself.
I continued to further elaborate.
"For one Edmund, you can tell from the lack of an exoskeleton I and the rest of my species are mammals, those that give birth to live young rather than eggs, generally."
"Generally?"
"Well there are certain mammals that do, but those are exceptions rather than the norm."
"Hmmm I see.."
"We are incredibly varied species as well and capable of adapting ourselves to almost any environment save for a few extreme climates..."
Edmund merely listened intently as I continued to patiently explain the nature of my species, our achievement what I could guess a look of wonderment spreading across his features.
We as a species, until my recent discoveries, assumed ourselves the only species capable of intelligent decision making and incredible feats of ingenuity, from the dawn of man and the building of the great pyramids of Giza, the advanced astronomy and mathematics pioneered by the Aztecs and Maya, on to the steam engine, railroads, and later the miracle of planes, trains, and automobiles. But what stood as the most defining of achievements of our species was us taking a ship up into the heavens with a thunderous roar and belching of smoke and fire, to set foot on our very moon and, soon in the future, beyond.
He almost forgot many times to write everything I said down, having to remind him multiple times as he repeatedly lost focus from the sheer awe of it all.
Knowing he was probably having an incredibly hard time believing in even half of what I said, I reached into my bag to pull out my uncatalogued photos.
"Take a look. These are photographs, they capture specific scenes and freeze them in time for anyone to see."
He was careful in sifting through the album and took note of everything he saw, pictures of gleaming spires of glass and stone, strange metal carts going to and fro, giant metal snakes crisscrossing the terrain, and flying ships the likes of which he wondered what sorcery was keeping them aloft.
"For all my life, I was told that such spires were only possible in the City of Tears, to think you're species has surpassed the capabilities of even the wisest of wyrms, or even the most industrious of ants."
As he was vigorously writing down as much he could at least attempt to explain this to the rest of his people as I carefully took the album off the desk and put it back into its set aside pouch in my backpack.
"I may have shown a bit more than what was necessary to get the big picture across, but I think you have enough of an understanding of the society I come from."
"I'm… I'm not quite sure how I will even begin to explain this to my village kin. Perhaps over time, they'll come to understand just as I have now."
"Give it time Edmund, the stuff I have shown you were things even I didn't learn overnight, but what was that earlier about a so-called City of Tears?"
Edmund tensed up at this as if digging up a memory he long wished would have stayed forgotten.
"While it has the proper name of "Hallownest's Heart", it became known as The City of Tears due to its perpetual "rainfall" from the aquifer above. It was that pompous and conceited Wyrm's self-proclaimed shining beacon of capital, an example to Hallownest's supposed glory. How it was ever a good idea to build any settlement that got its denizens wet and cold as soon as they went outside is beyond my people's comprehension. A hot and dry climate would serve better in keeping a healthy internal body heat and to the growing of crops, but I digress."
"Where is this... City of Tears?" I pressed, my curiosity peaked.
"If it's for the sake of your exploration I can't stop you, It lies to the east of here, follow the signs along the cobblestone road as it will lead you there, while it is a dreary place, it is still a sight to behold. If you do not wish to get wet, I recommend we take these."
With that, he slid open a small closet and in it were two meticulously handcrafted umbrellas, crafted from bone and woven from a type of fabric treated with was smelled like beeswax. It was primitive, but it was functional for what it was supposed to do, it can expand, and contract helped one of them fit easily into my backpack.
"What do you mean by us?!" I asked.
"Well to be honest you have not only more than piqued my interest, but I have always had a willingness to see the actual world beyond my mere village, I don't just want to read anymore, I want to experience, but I have embarrassingly bin a bit "apprehensive" with braving this desolate land alone as like I said before, I don't know how to fight, but going with you just might offer me the assurance I need if you don't mind."
I smiled, glad he was finally willing to broaden his horizon.
"I don't see why not."
"Thank you so very much, I will ask the lords if this is okay with them, I have so much more I could learn. Eventually, I could maybe perhaps find someone to teach me to fight for myself, something that has for too long been denied to me here."
We spent the next few hours relatively quiet save for the intermittent sharing of notes, soon enough I was able to record enough of a broad profile of the mantis culture to fit into my presentation. With a tab assigned to the section, I closed my research journal up, patting myself on the back at a job well done.
The four Mantis Lords debated vigorously among themselves as it was more than controversial that one of their kind would be so willing to travel with the one person that brought them such shame and humiliation to their names, with rumors circulating about possible challenges to their authority, a rocky road lies ahead for the Mantis Tribe it seems.
But afterward, they conceded to let Edmund tag along with me, under the condition that eventually he would report back to them with any and all findings that could help further the development of the four clans.
With that with a sarcastic wave goodbye to the guards, we were off, setting our sights on the mythic City of Tears, my eagerness to get there growing with each step only being balanced out by my new charge following intently behind me, careful to avoid the pools of acid that we had to stay intently aware off as we made our way down the worn cobblestone roads.
The roads themselves could have seen better days and we were careful to watch our step for the occasional potholes.
Given my newfound abilities, I thought once or twice about speeding things up by pulling the same silk aerial maneuvering Hornet pulled when we first needed to get around Hallownest quickly.
But, considering I was absolutely terrified when I was unwillingly carried along, I safely judged it wouldn't be such a good idea with Edmund, a mantis that has never really traveled beyond the confines of his village, let alone his house.
Eventually, though, we finally made it across the bridge over what was a moat of boiling acid, a strange sight since acid fissures such as these are usually found around heavily volcanic areas.
That is unless there is some natural reactor I'm unaware, a good source of power and heat for any potential subterranean city which would, in turn, be an ingenious example of surprisingly advanced structural engineering.
My hunch was immediately validated upon passing beyond the gate and greeted by a large statue of what appeared to be their equivalent of a night, perpetually standing watch over all passers-by back in its hey day.
We drew out our umbrellas as the "rain" was a consistent moderate downpour, drenching everything that wasn't protected by the large expansive panes of sheet glass of building that towered above us making us feel incredibly insignificant, which was by all guesses intentional.
The city was expansive as well, by my best estimation, possibly had a population of around 200,000 bugs, perhaps more, all going about their day doing whatever occupation was necessary to sustain a once-bustling metropolis.
"You weren't kidding Ed." I said casually over to the scribe bug as I also saw his eyes go wide with awe.
"Even with the rain, this city is beyond what I could imagine." The mantis letting out a shiver as he stepped into a cool puddle on the ground.
"Not used to the water hugh?" I joked
Along the way through the city, We met a kindly yet old bug by the name of "Lemm" who was by all accounts was going out of his way to "collect" whatever artifacts he could find.
I was quick to explain ourselves to him.
"Ahh yes, I should have half-expected men of scholarship and discovery would eventually make their way into these dusty catacombs to record the tale of a kingdom that met its untimely demise. I must apologize in advance but the artifacts I hold are NOT for sale."
"But you can't just hoard these artifacts for your private collection, they must all be kept in climate-controlled archives and museums! What you are doing is tantamount to desecration, not preservation."
There is no way I am letting someone disrupt the pristine nature of this location, future expeditions counted on it.
"I promise you strange young explorer that I have no intention of reselling these artifacts, I have taken just as much interest in unlocking this lost kingdom's secrets as you are. Do you honestly think yourself so arrogant as to hog the supposed "glory" of discovery?"
Not wanting to argue ourselves into a burned bridge, I made the mature decision and struck a deal.
"Look as long as you promise to keep those artifacts in pristine condition, I will let this issue slide for now."
"You have my word"
With that Edmund was still poking around when he suddenly activated a familiar contraption as it started playing equally unfamiliar music.
"Not to be too coy,
but I wish to share my joy,
my dear, lets your wings block the rain,
and let us be together again"
It was a gentle and sweet love ballad, done in the style of mid-20th century concert hall or jazz with familiar sounds of their equivalent of a piano, violin, and also, the most angelic duet I have ever heard in my life, a pair of voices so smooth the lyrics seem to slide right out without the slightest hint of strain.
"It's time we take a chance,
away from the pomp and circumstance,
to find what our hearts find true..."
"Oh so that's what it does" Lemm mused bobbing his head up and down in delight.
"It's a silk recorder, sound imprinted on soul infused spider silk played through a mechanical reel system." I began to explain as Edmund finally calmed down from being startled by the sound emanating from it.
"Very impressive, and to think I was about to chuck it into the royal waterways as a hunk of junk, really saved me that time."
"Don't mention it."
After our encounter with a self-proclaimed "collector", we continued to make our way through the drenched walkways of the city, careful not to get my camera wet as I snapped a few well-placed shots of the skyline, various bodegas, and a series of pictures of the overall layout of the streets as the crisscrossed to and fro, to think these same streets were once bustling with life and commerce, only to be replaced by nothing but the sound of the pattering of water on stone and glass, as if the buildings themselves were morning its loss.
After a bit of walking, we managed to make it to what seemed to be the central courtyard. It was the hub from which all the main arteries emanated out from like spokes on a bicycle wheel.
The streets each having their dedicated drainage channels that used gravity to feed into the central canals before draining into what was most likely a comprehensive sewage system that kept the city for so long from being flooded from the constant downpour.
These feats of engineering would make even the most well-learned of historians scratching their heads as to how such feats could be accomplished without the convenience of modern machinery.
What stood out most to us however were several statues poised about a fountain, the first shorter 3 were cloaked bugs of some kind, each wearing the same mask, each of them was looking up to the visage of an all too familiar sight of my previous visions as he looked outwards, watching over all who pass by.
It was him, that was the person who gave his life in a desperate attempt to seal away the radiance, an attempt that, sadly, didn't yield the results that the Pale King hoped for.
As Edmund was busy admiring in awe at the posterity of the statues, for some reason or another I felt a certain PULL drawing me closer to the fountain, faint whispers begin to edge their way into my mind as I edged ever closer to the precipice.
There, scrawled on the front of the fountain, was something that for one reason or another, felt I already knew the answer to.
"MEMORIAL TO THE HOLLOW KNIGHT
In the Black Vault far above.
Through its sacrifice, Hallownest lasts eternal."
After looking up one last time at the sculpted visage of the Hollow Knight, his form towering over my own, I slowly looked downwards, to my reflection in the water, the image being distorted from the rainfall above.
Looking back was my face, the expression of confusion, of apprehension.
In a flash, The reflection gave way to a familiar image of the Hollow Knight, looking straight into my very soul reaching out to me in a screech as if to grab me by the collar and pull me in.
Just as soon as I jumped back from the shock, the apparition vanished and I was once again left with my reflection. The look of apprehension replaced by one of pure dread, my dream-catcher glowing brighter than it ever has before at this moment.
"Nolan? Is something the matter?!" Edmund asked with concern.
"Yeah… I…. I think I'm fine." I lied, not sure if I could explain it to him anyway.
"We should get moving, I'm getting sick of this rain."
The mantis scribe nodded in agreement, this place is giving us both the creeps, for whatever reason it felt as though we were being watched.
I was not too far off as I saw a blur of a figure heading straight for Edmund.
Not having much time to determine the threat, I responded with both training and instinct as Immediately rushed to his defense, the mantis still oblivious to the danger as looked at me in shock.
"Edmund, look out!" was all I could shout as my blade gave a loud cacophonous clang when it met with the blade of its adversary.