Okay! First off… What are you all still doing here!? XD
I love all of you, and I hope I'm relaying that through my writing. There is one. Eensy tiny little thing I feel I need to clear up. I'm getting the feeling a few of you think the Sword Hero here is The Knight.
I really, really don't want to burst any bubbles here… but I'm sad to say our little Ghost is in another castle(town). This is in fact The Hollow Knight. Big Brother Vessel himself. I just wanted to make that clear… May have to change that cover picture too. (I did)
Second other probably confusing thing. From here on, we'll have two thought processes/narration. I had not originally planned this… but I really like what I'm doing for some reason.
Third thing! This one also kinda sorta pushes the envelope as it does involve a tavern… Nothing to spicy for a teen rating I hope...
Anyway, ONWARDS!
The Smith, Earhart he called himself, issued Fera several pieces of wrought iron. Skirt, pauldrons, gauntlets, grieves, and a breastplate emblazoned with the visage of the cracked Slave Seal. This, along with a temporary blade and the preliminary payment to reforge the Nail had totalled seven hundred silvers.
"Now I don't mind you putting that sword through its paces," Earhart said before we left, "But I don't think I have to tell you that if you break it, you buy it," With this in mind, Fera and I had set off to first 'grind' as it were.
Once more we walked the crowded streets in silence. Though… I began to wonder. What ails you, my master? I hear Fera speak through my mind. I had wondered then if my every thought was heard… if our binding as Master and Servant had done more. I could wonder no more as a bolt of light had flown past me, grazing along my Pale Mask.
"HOLLOW! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU!" Itsuki declared, flanked by a giant in armor and what was most likely a mage as well as several armed adventurers, "I want to ask you before I rush to any conclusions! Is she following you willingly!?"
The giant reminded me of one of my father's knights. Though, where my father's knight was a just, selfless figure… this man bore a self-righteous cruelty in his eyes. I know his kind well, he wishes harm against me.
"HOLLOW! I WON'T ASK AGAIN!" Itsuki declared, the giant stepping forward.
"Sir Itsuki! Is it not rather obvious already?" The suit of metal questioned, "This insect does not even hide the fact that this subhuman dog is strung along a leash of his own making! Look, there! The animal's brand is even burned onto her armor!"
"Mald! I will not have you insult potential victims of abuse! Laws or not, she is still a living person!" Itsuki shouted at his supposed subordinate.
I believe we should make use of this distraction, my master. Fera's thought echoed within me, I could not disagree. I had no time for such senseless bickering… fools all of them. The rest of Itsuki's entourage saw fit to allow us passage, some even cowering in my presence.
Once more we resumed our silent march, It is a good thing there are only 'four' Cardinal Heroes, it would be troublesome had another halted us. The town's gate guards, though startled, gave a resolute salute as they bid us fare tidings in our endeavors. The plains of this world… it would be remiss of me to say, but the Nest would never hope to compare to such a sight.
Come, my master, Balloons and Horned Rabbits spawn close by. Further along the plains we walked and further still, stopping only when a floating and sharp toothed creature had sought to feast upon me. It opened its salivating maw with reckless abandon only to pop the moment my Nail pierced its bubble like body.
This is the first of many, Fera's thought echoed. Yes, the first of many.
[Balloon Blade Unlocked]
'Feeding' my Nail the Balloon Hide had morphed the blade into a slightly elastic and blue blade. I would soon test its… edge… upon the now encroaching swarm.
The Balloons had been diverse in color and detail. Some a vibrant pale green, others a fiery orange, and others still a dark purple. Their eyes ranged from droopy and small to large and focused.
Preparing myself, I parried the first most Balloon and struck with the expectance of watching it expire… only to push it back several arms length. What a strange Nail… Fera had taken on the duties of slaying the beasts as my own elastic blade saw fit only to repel the beasts.
That was until upon my fiftieth swing my Balloon Blade had burst. The sickening pop ruptured a purple Balloon with a single strike as the remains of my Nail had begun to inflate. The blade once more solid, I begun my assault anew… yet despite my swings and thrusts, the blade had remained as it was.
Growling, I focused my will and took hold of an orange Balloon, watching as a sharpened Soul Needle pierced the creature. The Needle was then jettisoned from my palm at another of the beasts as it pierced its elastic hide.
This power you hold, Soul Magic, can it be taught? As you now hold Void within you… I cannot see why not. It was a simple matter as we were now bound, what I knew so did she. As I kept the creatures at bay,
Fera had begun to focus her Soul. A simplistic burst of Soul erupted from her, not enough to harm, but enough to know that she could be trained. It was quite interesting to see that the Void taint covering her body had shined Pale light before dispersing.
The beasts had shown shock to the display, some beginning to sweat before shaking away the apprehension. Were I to continue my quest, I needed to switch weapons… yet a curiosity within me wishes to know if other blades held effects such as the Balloon Blade. As Fera took to the task of slaying the still growing number of Balloons, I began to review my many Nails.
[Gambler's Gold: Rank 1/20
Damage: 10
Passive: 5% chance of turning enemy (level 30 below) into gold]
Gold… a precious metal. Yes, this blade would do. The Nail itself was a wide and brightly gaudy thing. Heavy and unwieldy, the gilded Great Nail required both of my arms to swing comfortably… but in rare moments of gravitational momentum, the blade would cleave any and all in its path cleanly.
It also helped that every now and again, we would retrieve Golden Balloon Hides. We had dispatched forty or so Balloons until a guttural roar from behind me caught my attention. Looking back, Fera stared back at me scandalized. Her now glowing cheeks had been flush as she placed her hands upon her stomach. My master… I hunger.
Hunger. Fish. Fiiiish… Shaking my head of such thoughts, I focused once more on Fera. It would not do were I to deny her such a basic necessity. The local inn and tavern may see fit not to serve us, we are not human. No, we were not, but we would soon cross that bridge.
Our return to town had thankfully been uneventful, finding neither hide nor hair of any Hero nor adventurer. We still had one hundred Silvers to our name, but that would only get us so far… May I suggest selling the Golden Hides and reserving the rest for Earhart?
It was as good a plan as any, and there did so happen to be a trader of such goods. The simple clothed trader lazily rested his head upon his palm, elbows rigid upon the counter. Behind him had been several hides, feathers, horns, claws…
"Yeah whaddya want?" The trader asked, his eyes lighting up as I lay eight Golden Balloon Hides before him. He quickly took one in his hold and began to critically inspect the remains, "They look like Balloons… but…" Clearing his throat, he placed the Hide back with the rest and straightened himself, "Five silver, no more."
Deny him, Fera's thought echoed within me. Yes, it made no sense to trade gold for silver. Nodding, I retrieved my Hides one by one as he frantically tried to stop me.
"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT! Three gold! I swear I can't go higher!" He shouted frantically. Was this acceptable? We should not press further.
We left the trader, three gold coins wealthier. Our present predicament had seen fit to remind us that Fera Did in fact have physical needs in the form of hunger. Unfortunately, her thoughts and memories of Melromarc's castle town labeled it as one unwilling to serve Demi-Humans in any capacity… save for the lowliest, filthiest, most wretched hives of scum and debaucherous establishments.
It was a muck covered and massive wooden tavern hidden away within the outermost edge of town adorned with half broken Shells, embedded Nails of all shapes and sizes, hammers, maces… Within, the sounds of raucous laughter assaulted us coupled with the slamming of wood. The patrons themselves were as filth ridden and grotesque as the tavern… patrons who quickly turned their eyes upon Fera and myself.
"What's this then? An overgrown roach and his mutt?" A giant of a man growled out as he slammed an empty tankard onto his table, "Well don't just stand there! Get in here already!" The raucous laughter returned as two of the patrons pushed us deeper within, setting us together with the giant, "Wench! Meat and drink for our… wait a tick… you're the new Sword Hero! Ahah! Make it a feast!"
The laughter and excitement drowned out all other noise as several roasted beasts were expertly placed upon our table along with fresh and full tankards.
"Now what brings an esteemed Hero such as yourself to our little piece of the heavens?" The giant asked.
"My partner required nourishment," I replied calmly, said partner burying her face into a mound of cooked flesh.
"Hah! Slave girl certainly doesn't hold back, does she!" The giant exclaimed, "You though, surrounded by meat and ale… you haven't even moved since you got here!"
"I require neither food nor drink," I replied, the giant crossing his arms as if offended.
"Ah… that won't do… that won't do at all… BOYS! BATHE THE MAN!" A warcry resounded through the tavern as I had been surrounded in an instant, a group of three men hefting a barrel over me.
I've heard of this. You may wish to keep your head down, Fera's thought echoed within me, her eyes the only thing to move as she continued to strip flesh from bone.
The contents of the open barrel had soon washed over me as if a torrent… my mind… my thoughts… the very Void of my being had suddenly felt… sluggish. Warm… what was this feeling?
"Ah! We have a lightweight!" The giant proclaimed as I felt hands upon my head… we're they keeping me steady? I found that, no… they weren't. They only steadied me as my mask met cooked flesh, "Mm, this is usually the part where ya start eating, lad."
Eat? Yes… food… the smell was… intoxicating… I found my strength once more as I took hold of the smoked mound and pulled it within me. I quickly lost track of time. Even my connection to Fera felt… strained. Somehow, the scenery had changed. I was no longer in a Tavern in Melromarc… instead, I was standing within a cavern.
It felt so very familiar to me.
"Master," I heard Fera call out, her voice not within me, but… next to me, "What is this place?" Looking about, I found a blackened figure shaped vaguely as Fera… a bestial Pale Mask upon her face.
This place… "I believe this place to be my home, the entrance to Hallownest."
Before either of us could question this, a most peculiar sight had walked past us. Brother Ghost… the Void King had left us as if we did not exist.
"Should we follow?" Fera asked. Should we? Curiosity ran rampant within me.
"Come, I wish to understand."
My kin navigated the jagged path of the Kingdom's Edge slowly, methodically… he took a beaten, spike ridden path, bouncing upon the metal to reach a hidden room.
A Lore Tablet lay within: Higher beings, these words are for you alone.
Within our lands do not hide your true form. Let all bask in your majesty, for only this kingdom could produce ones such as you.
"Higher beings…" Fera spoke, "Children of the Pale King? Your kin?"
"I do not remember these tablets. They were not inscribed during my upbringing," I muttered, "Yes… the vessels. Children of my father and mother. We, the children of God and Void…"
We soon followed little Ghost as he once more traversed through the cavern until he was met my another Lore Tablet: Higher beings, these words are for you alone. Your great strength marks you amongst us. Focus your soul and you shall achieve feats of which others can only dream.
As his body focused Soul, the world had filled with light.
My vision was soon replaced by darkened green bed sheets, Fera lying beside me with opened eyes. Master, what was that? Her thought once more echoed within me, bringing me sit upon the bed we found ourselves on.
A vision. What more could it have been? Had little Ghost wished to tell me something? A knock upon a door shook me from my thoughts, a disheveled handmaiden having entered.
"You don't seem off your rocker," She commented with a smile, "Funny then, watching your companion carry you like a newborn babe," She began to sweep and wipe away at the build up if dust within our temporary quarters, "Sun's about down, you're welcome to spend the night, Bargram paid your lodging the sweetheart."
Bargram? The Giant, my master. I must apologise, had I known you would fall imbibed, I would have never brought you here.
No, it was of no consequence. We have lost neither coin nor hide, and rest had been important… but rest could wait. For now, we hunt.