Significantly shorter chapter this time round! Sad seeing as it's actually the first Wave and it wasn't longer…
Anyway, made a slight mistake last chapter that I fixed! Uh… what else… OH! About the Curse Series, I have plans for our hapless Shield Hero. Without giving away too much
He should be wary with what Shield he gets used to…
Anyway, ONWARDS!
Day 36: 2 Hours Remain
When Hollow had not returned to his room, nor seen walking the pathways of Mirso village Fera had rather obviously become distraught. Groaning, she gave up simply waiting for her wayward master much to the disapproval of their team's only other member.
Sending out her consciousness, Fera sought to tap deeper into her bond with her master than she'd ever had before. As her head began to thump and thrum with agonizing pain, a blurred sight graced her vision…
Insects, lizards… rock and wind…
Her new cloak propelled her forward, she could not explain its magic, she could not explain why she owned it, she could only know that she so desperately needed to master the Moth Wings lest she find her master too late.
40 Minutes Remain
I do not recall how long ago it was I departed, nor for how long I had decided to slay the mountain's beasts. I only knew that my Imperfect Nail had been near MAX Rank…
In a moment of daring, I had reached the dragon's cavern and placed my egg at the mouth of it, immediately triggered the Hunter's Bait Aggro Charm and began to slay beast after beast with the Imperfect Nail, dropping gilded insect after gilded insect.
[Imperfect Nail Rank 49/50
Damage: 98
Passive: Gain 30% more Soul when striking enemies
Passive: Gain 10% more Soul upon successful kill
Active: Gain four satellite blades]
Mindlessly I swung my Nail, mindlessly I dispatched the many beasts and creatures that sought to devour me… Why? For what had I abandoned my party? I fought as if a bug possessed… at least until-
MASTER! Fera's voice shouted within my being, my head whipping about to find partner mine had traversed the mount, Nail in hand as she bisected and slew the encroaching beasts from behind.
You were a fool for coming alone, and an even greater fool for doing so with the Wave so fast approaching.
The Aggro had been toggled off as Fera approached me before slamming her face upon my breast, What an inconsiderate master I have…
Yes… it would seem so. Behind us, the dragon roared as it clawed the earth. Turning, I took note of why the hollow beast wished to obtain my attention until I took note of the egg. Taking the incubator in my hands, I brought the trembling egg closer, watching as it shook ever faster
10 Minutes Remain
Slowly the egg began to crack, Fera And the dragon drawing ever nearer. Fera as this was the first she had ever witnessed a Filorial birth, the dragon as the two species had been hated enemies since time immemorial and wished to gauge the creature I so tentatively examined.
As the jagged line reached its destination, coming full circle upon itself, the egg split apart as the glass fell. A chirp greeted us as the puffy white avian raised its head for us… yet the shell atop its head refused to fall… instead, it too began to crack and fall apart, it's remains forming a Pale Mask.
Large pits of Void stared back at us as it stretched its wings and flapped. Upon it's tiny chest had been the Slave Seal, adorned still with the many lines that adorned their shell. Chirping once more, it flapped with greater force before jumping skyward from the incubator pillow and landing atop my head before nestling gently within my Bomb King Crown.
5 Minutes Remain
My Master, the Wave… we will fail to reach Bargram in time.
No, we won't. Taking Fera's hand, I rushed off the sheer cliff, dragon rushing behind us quickly.
3 Minutes Remain
Mirso Village had seemed so miniscule from above, the town coming closer and closer into view the further we fell once I had left the dragon.
Master, I do not regret calling you suicidal.
1 Minute Remains
"DID YOU TWO JUST FALL FROM THE SKY!?" Bargram shouted as I placed Fera upon her feet, my Filorial chick chirping happily, "Where even were you two!? Do you know how close the-"
00:00
"-wave is… to…"
We found ourselves within a forest surrounded by the many adventurers that had joined the Needle and Arc Bearers, said Bearers looking to the sky as a rift opened.
Yet… where was the Shell Bearer?
"Hollow-San!" I heard Itsuki shout out, "Is that a crown? Nevermind, let's go!"
"I call dibs on the boss!" Motoyasu shouted as he ran forward, Itsuki following quickly behind and followed still by the mass of adventurers, and yet…
"WAIT GUYS! WE NEED TO EVACUATE THE VILLAGERS FIRST!" That. That was Naofumi.
"Bargram! To Naofumi!" I shouted as I raced for the Shell Bearer. The giant grunted as he slammed the earth and propelled himself forward from the force, Fera following behind as if dancing upon the wind.
"Wh- HOLLOW!?" He shouted in disbelief before looking to the sky, "A flare!? That's it!? Nevermind! Hollow! We need to evacuate the village!"
"It shall be done!" I declared as the demons of the Wave had finally come upon us. The beasts had all varied in size, yet reeked of decay and filth as their ever decomposing bodies oozed within their armaments.
"ORDERS, LAD!" Bargram shouted as he slammed the earth once more, impaling a cluster of six demons.
"Naofumi! Direct us! We shall be your Sword this day!" I shouted as I joined the fray, my orbiting Nails spinning wildly as I bisected a group of three.
"Direct?" Naofumi repeated with a short gasp.
"NAOFUMI-SAMA!" A beast eared woman shouted as she swiftly decapitated a demon behind the Shell Bearer.
No longer stunned, Naofumi grit his teeth, "ALRIGHT! HOLLOW! Split your team east and west and have them circle around the perimeter! You, Raphtalia, and me are hitting the heart of the city! NOW!"
We shall save as many as we can! Go, Master!
"Don't worry about us, Bug Hero! Just help the Shield Boy!" Bargram shouted as he ran off, punching and breaking as many of the foul beasts as possible.
I soon joined Naofumi's group of two, three orbiting blades hovering behind me as I held the last along with the now Rather Imperfect Nail.
[Rather Imperfect Nail Rank 1/75
Damage: 100
Passive (Mastered): Soul Eater, Gain 30% more Soul when striking enemies
Passive (Mastered): Soul Converter, Gain 10% more Soul upon successful kill
Active (Mastered): Ouroboros, Gain four satellite blades]
Active: Blades spin at high speed
Toggle: Wield two swords]
"Airstrike Shield!" Naofumi shouted as a massive and translucent green shield had been projected from a bound mass of rope… It may prove beneficial to master the Rope Sword someday. The Airstrike slammed into a lone soldier among the demons, keeping the beast from slaying a civilian.
There had been no rest for the wicked as a mother and her children were being chased by a group of smaller soldier type demons. As Naofumi and his Demi Human managed the giant, I had rushed forth and appeared above the cluster. Upon falling Nail first, a cage of Soul Nails had risen and skewered the monsters upon impact.
Flinching, I had narrowly dodged the downward swing from a massive axe, a giant and spike armored demon wielding the massive arm. My orbiting Nails spun rapidly as I carefully dismembered the giant before taking note of the family of three. They feared me, but something had calmed them… a chirping sound echoing from within my crown.
In my haste, I had nearly forgotten about my Filorial. It mattered not of course, all that mattered was that the children seemed placated and the mother had become less on edge.
Deeper into the city I ran, deeper into the bedlam and devastation as more giants had appeared along with Giant Bees of all things. The soldiers stationed had seen better days, most having difficulties against even one of the beasts.
Dragon mine, where are you…
In a moment, all had been still as a torrential wind whipped about, smoking stones falling from the sky before dissipating.
"Magic!?" Naofumi shouted from atop a roof, my Hollow Dragon hovering above the town, "Nevermind, DRAGON!"
"STAY THY BLADE, NAOFUMI! The dragon is my own!" I shouted quickly.
"Yes, it would take a monster to tame a monster," A degrading voice called out, a heavily armored human clapping in mock congratulations, "Men, focus another barrage against the dragon, we'll call it a casualty of war."
"Jerky Strike!" With practiced ease, I whipped the armored soldier with my Hunter's Blade, the leathery and weak Nail stunning and leaving the soldier smelling of roasted meat as I rushed past the now scrambling force of soldiers as they attempted to pin me down to no avail.
What they failed to see however was that the Hunter Blade's aggro ability was twice that of the original Bait Blade, and so every demon that remained within the city had now caught my Nail's scent. The soldiers screamed as the demons of the wave trampled over their ranks, yet left the fearful soldiers be as they ran for me.
As we ran, my dragon had followed. We ran past many a building before finally leaving the town and escaped into the plains. It was a simple matter, lead the hoard out into the open, fade into the dark, and allow my dragon to set blaze to the world… it was a simple matter forced into complication.
The dragon roared as bolts of light impacted against it. Flee, beast of mine. Return to the people of Mirso. Roaring once more, the dragon fled higher into the sky as comets fell against the hoard, the bolts now switching targets to the hoard.
"HOLLOW-SAN!" The child, Itsuki shouted as he rushed to my side as he continued to lay waste to the hoard, "Was that a dragon!? Did it throw those fireballs!? What the heck is going on!?"
"The beast was my own, I have sent it away so it may treat it's wounds," My words had surprised the Arc Bearer into fear, and rightly so as the pommel of my Hunter's Blade struck his forehead.
"Gah!? Can we not do this now!? We killed the Wave boss no thanks to you by the way!" He shouted as he resumed his assault.
Fading from sight, I reappeared above the hoard before slamming down, Rather Imperfect Nail once more in hand. Between my spinning blades and Itsuki's bolts, the hoard had fallen quickly as the rift along the sky had faded.
We had won this day…
King Aultcray had sent for us upon completion of the wave, this was recounted to us by the head knight who attempted to slay my dragon.
"I'd rather neither of you show, but unfortunately, Lord Aultcray has asked specifically for you, Hollow Knight," The leader of the knights spat out as he walked away, my Filorial chirping madly until he was no longer in sight.
"Ah, hell of a fight, ey lads?" Bargram asked as he slammed his palms on my amd Naofumi's shoulders.
"Hate to say it… but I owe you and your team, Hollow," Naofumi stated coldly, "This doesn't make us friends."
"Acceptable," Replied with a nod as Naofumi shrugged off the giant.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for the help, but I still haven't forgiven you!" He shouted.
"Don't."
"You're still on my shit list!"
"As it should be."
"Raphtalia!" He shouted, the beast eared girl from earlier flinching, "We're leaving! I'm still going to kick your ass someday, Hollow!"
"I await the day."
With that, the pair had left, no sooner too as Fera had returned to us.
Master, it would have been wise to keep the Shield Hero here longer… he is apparently quite the adept potions maker.
Truly? A pity then. We could have traded our golden beasts for a crate.
"Bah, what are we just standing here for!?" Bargram shouted, "We have a feast to get to!" The avian atop my head had echoed his enthusiasm, chirping happily. Yes, today was a time for celebration…