Welp! As I was name dropped by a good friend of mine on his story, it would only be fair I did the same!

I ncase you haven't, you should totally check out A Broken Sword by Hythunza! He's an excellent writer in his own right and honestly deserves your attention!

Anyway… This chapter is a bit more build up for future events and such, but enough about that! ONWARDS!

Somewhere…

He awoke within a white room, upon a white bed. The small room had a single window adorned by a white cross that segmented the glass in four. Despite the room having but one window, it was as if the shining sun bathed all in its soft and pale yellow light.

He, Naofumi Iwatani, had awoken to this room upon his defeat to Motoyasu, the 'Hero' of the Spear. In shock, Naofumi shot up from his temporary bed and looked about as he shouted, "Raphtalia! Raphtalia!"

He shouted until his eyes fell upon a pale and soft golden eyed woman in white wearing a pale elongated three point crown sitting upon a white chair and holding a porcelain teacup. Black ink had been painted along her eyes, her massive white dress was lined with grey fur along her shoulders, pale silver metal adorned and accentuated her chest and hips.

"You are awake, Shell Bearer," The woman stated with an otherworldly kind and gentle calm.

"WHO ARE YOU!? WHERE'S RAPHTALIA!?" Naofumi shouted in shock and fear, tears falling down his face as he backed away from the now approaching woman, flinching as she cupped his cheek.

"I am a friend, Shell Bearer… and your Vassal lies with you in the waking world," She replied with a motherly smile, "She has not, nor shall she, abandon the Hero who saved her from her darkness…"

"R-Raphtalia is…" Before Naofumi could say more, the woman placed a soft silken finger upon his lips.

"Save your words and your tears for the woman who has carried you through this hardship," She said sweetly as she urged Naofumi onto his back and closed his eyelids, "I shall be watching you closely, Iwatani Naofumi…"

Somewhere else…

Motoyasu wracked his brains for what seemed an eternity. He did it. He saved Raphtalia from that rapist pig, Naofumi… at least that's what he thought.

"I'm telling you, Itsuki!" He argued, "Something has to be wrong! She's another victim, right!?" Motoyasu had been immediately put to bed after his battle, several bandages wrapped round his body as he breathed out as best he could.

Healing potions and magic can only do so much afterall, especially against such incredibly near fatal wounds as those bestowed upon him by the Sword Hero.

"Motoyasu-San… I don't know what to tell you…" Itsuki whispered as he sighed. The Bow Hero had pulled up a chair to sit closer to the bedridden Spear Hero to console his rather embarrassing loss, "If you saw what I saw, knew what I knew-"

"Amd what the hell do you know!?" Motoyasu shouted frantically, "That I'm weak!? That I apparently can't fight my own battles!? That I need a woman to cheat for me just to beat a friggin' shielder!? What do you know!?"

"Motoyasu… we left a village to die…" Itsuki's words were immediately caught and trapped in Motoyasu's ears, the words endlessly repeating in his mind, "How we lost adventurers to the Chimera… that was nothing compared to the lives we could have lost that day."

"But we didn't!" Motoyasu argued with fearful vigor, "The village was saved, right!? So what's wrong with that!?"

"You know exactly what's wrong with that," Itsuki replied coldly, "Imagine what would have happened if Naofumi and Hollow weren't there, if they weren't as strong as they are."

"SCREW THEM! I don't care how strong they are! They're…" Motoyasu had slowly lost his anger as he wondered what it was that drove him. Women? Slave girls? His wounded ego at the hands of a chump and his insect? What was it about them that made his blood boil? Why them? "Why them? Why them!?"

"Because they're stronger than us," Itsuki replied sadly, "There's something going on in this kingdom, and believe it or not, Noafumi is the center of it all. The trial, his demonization, his humiliation... humiliation you added to…"

"Oh, bite me!" Motoyasu shouted before pouting like a petulant child.

Huffing, Itsuki steadied his nerves, "Look… I don't like it, and as much as I want to say I'm on Naofumi's side… I started to demonize him too. Heh, some hero of justice I turned out to be."

Itsuki had become downtrodden, sulking in self pity as Motoyasu grumbled and crossed his arms before speaking out again, "You don't think he did it," Motoyasu said more than asked, "Naofumi raping Mein, you don't think he did it."

"I just don't know what to think…" Itsuki gasped out as he grasped his shaking head, "This whole thing… it all feels like one giant political move."

"And we're the God damn pawns being played, is that it?" The Spear Hero growled out, "This is so stupid… this is all so stupid…"

Meanwhile…

Our path to Bargram's tavern had been silent, yet… worrisome. Many a curious gaze fell upon us as we walked, some onlookers forming gossip circles as they jeered and others held eyes of worry for us.

It would seem we have gained a following for our deeds within Lute. As well as enemies for our actions this day.

Regardless, Bargram had welcomed us into his home and tavern with open arms, quickly ushering us in and quieting the raucous debauchery within. There had been the regular patrons, they quieted down almost immediately in reverent silence, then there were the new faces. Young women, the Melromarc Royal Threads shopkeeper girl their apparent leader.

The group of girls looked about and slowly yet surely lowered their voices to hushed whispers, curious as to the happening before them. It was of no consequence however, all that mattered was that Eyra, the handmaiden that was Bargram's wife had taken us to a room where we were able to lay Naofumi to rest, his partner Raphtalia lying with him.

She has been his sword through the entirety of his stay here, hasn't she?

Had she? Had she been Naofumi's saving grace? Was she that Raphtalia? The child who had fought tooth and nail against the Balloon Queen? My, how she has grown…

I had hoped to stay close to the Shell Bearer's side, to ensure his safety as he woke, but my Filorial chick had begun to cry wildly as I felt my dragon call to me… there was pain… worry…

Go, they are close, I shall ensure no harm comes to Raphtalia and Naofumi.

"Is something wrong?" Raphtalia asked as she looked to us, "You both look worried."

"I shall return, the room has been paid for. Stay as long as you need," I left the trio in a hurry, legs pounding against the floor as I picked up speed.

"Oi! Bug Hero! What's the hurry!?" I had heard Bargram shout as a patron quickly opened the door.

Dashing out, I reached out to my dragon before changing directions and bursting forward. The streets had become far too crowded to navigate, and so I had vaulted over a carriage before propelling myself atop a roof. Building after building I ran, I ran until my only obstacle had been the castle's walls, many sentries flinching at my sight and gasping in awe as I soared past them and fell across the gates.

Close… closer… ever closer… Desperately I ran, desperately my avian cried as if to goad me… My dragon had been unharmed, but something had been harmed… some one had seen harm. With a mighty roar, the hollow beast beat its wings as it lowered itself, scaring the many would be predators of the open plains.

It's mind had become fixated on someone… a child. A Demi-human… harmed, but alive. As they lowered their head, they opened their maw and raised their tongue, a child hidden within their maw and holding an egg. The dragon's mind opened to me… poachers, hunters… mercenaries… many old. Many dead… some recent… incredibly recent. The child…

They feared what I had done, they had not seen me, they had only seen what I had done to the dragon… there was a name. Repeated constantly, it was… Gaelion… Gaelion… Gaelion.

You, then? O great Emperor Dragon… Gaelion. This child then… Wyndia. Yours, adopted… afraid… of you? For you? She had surrounded herself with monsters that night. She feared for their lives as well. The pain you felt upon seeing her… watching as she cowered against you… yet when she needed you the most…

Pity, the death and decay of those poachers will draw many to your cave. Taking the shaking child, I took note of a gaping hole along her leg. Focusing my magic, I had managed to seal the wound in Life Blood, watching as the liquid solidified. It was a temporary fix, but a needed one.

Leave, Gaelion. I shall depart soon for Lute… this child however… my thoughts became flooded. Memories of the child, Wyndia. Memories held near to Gaelion… memories that refuse to die as they rage against the Void. Memories…

Nurture these memories, Gaelion. May they forever rage against the light. The child shall return to you, stronger than before. Not by my hand, no. Another's… he is worthy of such a task. This egg, your child as well… I have tainted much in this world. It would not do to defile your legacy as well.

As the dragon flew away, the child in my arms shivered and curled in on herself as she desperately clung to the dragon egg. The road to Melromarc castle town had been long and arduous, the beasts that had since fled having returned in droves as they no doubt came upon the scent of a weakened prey.

Atop my head, my Filorial chirped angrily as if preparing to strike out at any moment. Thankfully for myself and my charge, I had thankfully mastered the Ourobouros skill and allowed my now orbiting blades to protect myself as I walked. It was strange, why am I taking so much care to ensure this child's safety? For Gaelion? For Naofumi?

Shaking away these thoughts, I had taken note that the beasts of the plains no longer drew near, fear apparent in many of the furred beasts and balloons. Their fear made my journey easier, their numbers quickly thinning the closer I came to the castle town gates. The gates had been but a stone's throw away when the child had decided to stir, her pained gasps quickly becoming coughs as she struggled for breath.

Running a knuckle along her spine, the child gasped once more as she steadied her breath before looking up towards me. I stopped as her eyes widened in fear… only for them to soften into curiosity.

"You look like what happened to Gaelion…" She whispered as she reached up to touch my mask, flinching only inches away before she gently laid her hand upon me, "Are you a monster too? Does it hurt?"

"I am a bug of the Nest, and no. My scar doesn't hurt," I replied gently, my Filorial chirping happily as it flapped its wings. The child, Wyndia, gasped in shock before looking upon the avian chick with brightening eyes.

"You have a Filorial! She looks so cute!" She cheered as she reached up, the chick jumping out of my crown before descending slowly into Wyndia's palms, "Does she have a name?"

A name? She? "They do not." The chick gave a saddened chirp before brightening up, happily jumping up and down as they turned to face me.

"She wants you to name her! Can you?" Little Wyndia asked.

"Why are you so comfortable around me?" My question gave the girl frightened pause before she strengthened her resolve, "I don't trust humans… but you aren't human, right?"

"Bugs are not human, so no. Human I am not," I replied as she smiled once more.

"See? I can trust you? Right?" She asked with such blinding hope.

"One of my partners is human," I replied as I continued my trek.

"Oh… are they nice?" She asked worriedly.

"He's a giant, kind… much like a bug I used to know."

"If you think he's nice, then I'm sure they're nice!" She gave a serious nod as she held a curled fist to her chest, "Hey! What's your name?"

"Hollow Knight," I replied idly as she smiled.

"I'm Wyndia! Gaelion is… was… my dad…" Her smile soon fell as she held the chick closer, the Filorial chirping sadly as they rubbed their faces together.

"Gaelion cares for you yet," I replied, shocking the girl from her sadness which only gave way to confusion.

"But Gaelion… he was…"

"Love," This word shocked her further, "He was the one who brought you to me. Only a father who loves their child would ever do such a thing."

The child looked to me before she slowly turned her eyes to her wounded leg, blue vines coiling around the solid mass of Life Blood before she began to cry. Her tears formed into bubbles, the loose liquid falling away like droplets as her face fell upon my breast. As she fell and held to me tightly, my avian had jumped as I held out a hand to catch her now that Wyndia was now cradled safely.

As I caught my Filorial, the child's tears flowed like rivers upon me… Rivers…

"River. I shall name you, River."