Chapter 7 A New Darkness
I woke up in the void once again, suspended in the dark substance. Confused, I instinctively felt around and discovered a hard, cool surface. Knocking on it, I felt it give way and crack open, allowing the void and myself to fly out. I shivered as the cool, wet substance coated my shell and body.
Getting up, I looked around and was greeted by an eerie sight—skulls everywhere. They adorned the ceiling, walls, and even the floor. It felt unsettling to be surrounded by them. Glancing at my reflection in the egg I had just emerged from, I noticed that my head resembled the skulls. It was porcelain white, with two dark pits for eyes and inward-curving horns. There was no mouth or any other feature on my face; it was simply a blank mask. (No, I'm not a vessel)
I began walking through the corridors ahead of me, each step crunching on the floor made of skulls. The skulls didn't seem to mind, but I couldn't shake off the discomfort I felt. I passed by black eggs, some still shiny, while others were cracked and broken. I chose to ignore them, focusing on finding my way out of this place.
Reaching a dead end constructed entirely of skulls, I had no choice but to dig my way through. It was a challenging and painstaking process. At times, I found myself in tunnels that resembled the ones I had just walked through, but I persisted, hoping for a different outcome. Finally, I emerged from the sea of skulls and felt the cool air brush against me. Yet, a sense of dread overwhelmed me—I couldn't bear going through this again.
Pulling myself out, I looked up and saw a cavern filled with floating platforms scattered about, some adorned with menacing spikes. Determined to escape, I spotted a platform a few meters above the ground and leaped towards it. I continued jumping from platform to platform, barely catching myself at times and nearly overshooting at others.
As I pressed forward, I noticed actual corpses strewn across the platforms, some impaled on spikes and others lying lifeless. (Don't ignore them!) It was difficult to ignore their presence, but I had to keep going. I glimpsed something illuminating the top of the cavern and redoubled my efforts to reach it. Finally, I reached the last platform, where I could see my sibling and The Pale King—no, he didn't deserve the title of "Father."
I readied myself to jump and launched off the platform, gripping onto the metal balcony. I reached out for my sibling, hoping they would acknowledge me, but they gave me a dismissive glance before walking towards Father. The place started shaking, and I struggled to maintain my grip, my little hands desperately holding on for dear life. Eventually, my grip slipped, and I plummeted down, colliding with the floating platforms and cracking my shell upon impact.
As I fell towards the skull-littered ground, I frantically reached out for anything that could save me. I sensed my siblings harnessing the power of the void, utilizing it for something. I extended my connection towards the link, allowing it to absorb the void within me. Despite the impending danger, I couldn't sever the link due to the thoughts and emotions I could perceive from my siblings. With my eyes closed, I accepted my seemingly inevitable fate.
I woke up, my eyes slowly opening to the sight of stars above me. But these were not ordinary stars; they were eyes, watching me with anticipation. Each eye radiated a distinct emotion, overwhelming me with their collective intensity. Reliving the deaths of all the vessels, including The Knight's, Broken Vessel's, and Greenpath Vessel's, had brought me here, to this moment—where they had created me.
"Hello," I spoke, my voice uncertain and questioning.
An immediate surge of excitement emanated from the eyes, enveloping me like a wave. They drew closer, and their voices became audible.
"Sibling awake!"
"New friend spoke!"
"Have voice!"
These were the prevailing sentiments among the shades. Other responses were muffled amidst the overwhelming presence of the collective. I waited for the fervor to subside, and as it did, a different set of emotions emerged—fear, doubt, and trepidation.
"Why am I here? And why did you show me all of your deaths?" I inquired, still grappling with the weight of their emotions.
In response, a cacophony of thoughts flooded my mind, overlapping but conveying a clear message.
[UNDERSTAND PAIN... KILL FATHER... REVENGE... ANGER... DESPERATION... LONGING]
The onslaught of emotions caused me to recoil, prompting the shades to quiet down. Taking a moment to gather my thoughts, I addressed them again.
"So, you want me to kill the Pale King for what he did to all of you?"
[AGREEMENT... YES]
"If that's the case, what is it that you want me to do after?"
[HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT... KILL OLD LIGHT?... LOOK FOR LAST SIBLING?]
I sighed, preparing myself to explain the flaws in their plan. "Firstly, if I were to kill the Pale King, it would throw the kingdom into chaos. The repercussions would be severe, as the entire kingdom would turn against me. Secondly, our primary concern should be the Radiance. She poses a greater threat to Hallownest, infecting everyone, including your sibling. If we eliminate her influence, the Hollow Knight won't have to go to the temple, allowing us to focus our efforts on the Pale King."
[SMART SIBLING/FRIEND... QUERY: HOW TO KILL RADIANCE... WANT FATHER DEAD... REVENGE... ANGER... DESPERATION... LONGING]
"I have discovered a way to defeat the Radiance by utilizing the Godseeker's ritual. The Godseekers are a group of bugs who travel and worship gods. Their previous gods, Thunder and Lightning, have perished. To find new gods, they created the Godtuner. Currently, they are located in the junkpit of Hallownest, which is where I am now. The ritual involves dreaming of the fight against the Radiance, allowing those bugs who are mere lingering dreams or lack a physical form to perish."
I continued, determined to convey my plans. "As for the Pale King, I won't kill him. However, I will make him confront the consequences of his actions, making him regret ever mistreating his children. His own guilt will consume him more effectively than any harm we could inflict. But I promise to give him an asswhooping for what he did to all of you."
A smile formed on my face as the shades, now filled with excitement, bounced around with renewed energy. Suddenly, a thought struck me, and I voiced it.
"Before I embark on this journey, I need to grow stronger. Do any of you have insights about harnessing the power of the void? So far, I have relied on soul-based spells, and I desire to delve deeper into the potential of the void."
[VOID NEEDS STRONG SIBLING/FRIEND]
The shades began swirling and dancing around me, their eyes spinning rapidly, creating a blur of motion. Then, in unison, they moved toward me, merging their essence with mine. I could feel their souls and void intertwining with mine, swirling together in a powerful fusion.
The sensation was not painful, but rather uncomfortable, like a balloon inflating within my chest. As the shades merged with me, I became aware of everything—their pain, their anger, their desperation, their longing. It threatened to consume me, urging me to seek immediate vengeance upon the Pale King. But I fought against the surge of emotions, suppressing them.
As my eyes grew heavy, the world around me began to blur. I attempted to focus on the floor, but instead, my gaze descended into darkness, akin to the abyss I found myself in.
"We will see the world through your eyes." a collective voice echoed in my mind.
I opened my eyes and peered up at the cavern above, taking note of all the nooks and crannies even from down here. In my chest, I could still feel the void and soul swirling around, adding to my already substantial essence. It was uncomfortable, like a whirlpool in my heart.
Closing my eyes, I focused on my soul network, feeling the void mix and coat it. As the process finished, I felt my wounds and sore muscles heal on their own, bringing me a sense of completeness.
Shaking off the feeling, I sat up and noticed the difference in my height. I stood fully and examined every detail of my new body. It was more defined, not in terms of muscle, but in bug features. I now had a carapace that covered my chest, back, shoulders, legs, and upper arms. My forearms lacked the same coating, instead revealing an internal bone structure along with my hands. On my right hand, the 'Flying Thunder God' seal glowed with soul, and my fingers were as white as bone, still equipped with claws.
As I walked to the shore of the junkpit, I noticed my cloak in tatters, attempting to repair itself but running out of essence in the process. Nevertheless, I continued to wear it, the black cloak matching my black body, even if it was in rags.
This time, the cloak only reached up to my upper thigh, indicating that I had grown taller. I pressed on towards the shore, reached it, and stared at my reflection. I looked at it in surprise, my face had changed so much. Instead of the bored, uninterested expression I last saw, it now displayed a wide range of emotions. Additionally, I noticed horn-like protrusions sprouting from the sides of my face, two on each side. I also had prominent horns that extended from above my eyes to the back of my head, resembling those of the Hollow Knight but swaying like leaves in a gentle breeze.
My face remained black like a shadow, with those same glowing white eyes. However, this time the eyes had some mobility, allowing me to open and close them. It was a small but significant improvement.
Standing at my full height which was still short, I observed every minute detail. Amidst the trash pile, something golden-bronze caught my eye. I quickly maneuvered my way towards it, moving aside the debris to reveal the Godseeker's sarcophagus. This time, there were no visible locks or chains.
I lifted the lid to find the golden mask of the Godseeker still in slumber. She appeared slightly thinner than in the game, but still a formidable bug. Golden dreamcatcher particles emanated from her, and I carefully retrieved the Godtuner clenched tightly in her hands.
Taking out the dream nail for the first time, I held it up and gently tapped it on the bug, causing the essence to ignite the Dream Nail. Preparing myself, I braced for the journey as I delved into the dream.
When I opened my eyes, I was immediately blinded by the overwhelming whiteness surrounding me.
"Blasphemy! Rank blasphemy! Thou crawler! Thou cringer! By what right dost thou trespass here in this home of the Gods? Shrivel away and begone! Begone!" the Godseeker exclaimed with powerful words that echoed through the air.
"No," I replied calmly, my voice a chorus of whispers that merged into a single resolute tone.
The Godseeker seemed perplexed, her mandibles stuttering as she tried to comprehend why her powers over the realm had no effect on me. Or so I assumed, judging by her faltering speech.
The world ceased to be a personal illumination, allowing me to take in the breathtaking sight of golden skies and clouds above and below. I observed the scattered pillars and platforms, with a central tower adorned with entangled wires.
"Thou abhorrent creature of darkness! How dare thou profane the sacred realm of the Godseekers with thy insolent presence? Thou art but a despicable and wretched being, lacking reverence or fear for the divine! Depart from this place immediately or face the righteous wrath of the Gods!"
"I'm fine," I responded calmly.
"Thou art an unwavering pestilence, insolent creature! Thy presence here is an affront to the divine, and thou shalt be punished for thy impudence. Dost thou think to defy the gods and remain unscathed? I shall tolerate thy existence no longer. Begone from this place and never set foot here again, lest thou incur the full fury of divine wrath!"
"Tell them I said no. I believe they will understand," I calmly asserted.
"Thy words reveal thy ignorance, mortal. The gods are not at thy beck and call, to be summoned or dismissed according to thy whims. Thou hast trespassed into this sacred realm, and now thou wouldst make demands of the divine? Know that such arrogance shall not go unpunished, for the gods are just and wise. If thou valuest thy mortal life, thou wilt heed my words and depart from this place at once."
"What? I didn't hear you. Can you say that again?~" I retorted, jumping from pillar to pillar and platform to platform, making my way toward the tower.
"Mock me not, mortal! Thou hast heard my words well enough, and thy insolence only serves to deepen thy transgressions. Thou art—" she tried to reprimand me, but I interrupted her.
"What!?" I exclaimed, drawing the attention of the other Godseekers.
"Thou art either deaf or daft, mortal! I have spoken plainly and truthfully, yet thou persist in playing the fool! Listen now, and listen well: thou hast trespassed into this—"
"I'm not talking to you! I am talking to my siblings. So, anyways, what were you talking about, (S/N)?" I interjected, disregarding her angry huff.
She glared at me with frustration as I reached the central platform just below the tower. Godseekers were scattered around, some engrossed in tablets on their laps. Silently, I approached one of them and peeked at the screen. It displayed "Godtube" in English, which surprised me momentarily before dismissing it as dream world eccentricities. The Godseeker closed the tab and opened a new one.
With a click of a symbol, a webpage appeared. As it loaded, the first thing I noticed was the name "Godhub," and I redirected my attention. "I don't want to stumble upon any bug smut while I'm here," I muttered to myself, surveying the three doors ahead. Beyond the cage that resembled the game, I caught sight of a fourth door. Intrigued, I approached the first door, noticing chains intertwined across it and a dial at its center. The dial showcased various creatures: the Vengefly King, Gruz Mother, a six-eyed creature with four eyes at the base and two near the top, Mossy Boy, a massive Dirtcarver, GORB, a colossal Baulder, Brooding Mallek, and...
I stared at the image before me, a mix of disbelief and fear washing over me. A primal Aspid dominated most of the picture. Though I almost commented on it, I decided it wasn't worth the trouble. Instead, an idea formed in my mind.
Closing my eyes, I reached out into the mental space, seeking confirmation of my theory. A chorus of voices responded, and a grin crept across my face, unintentionally unsettling some of the Godseekers who edged away from me.
"Hey, can any of you remember these creatures? I need to defeat them to vanquish the Radiance and triumph over the Pale King's... rear end," I mentally communicated, seeking the collective wisdom of my siblings.
[Agreement... Adoration... Strong sibling/friend]
"Aww, staaawwp it, you're making me blush," I playfully cooed, evoking a pause from some of the Godseekers who sensed the teasing tone in my words.
"Oh, and by the way, I think it's time I choose a name for myself. Actually, upon reflection, I need a name that's not tied to my past life but is fitting for my new existence. How about Yami? It means 'Darkness' in Japanese."
[Love... Adoration... Love the name: Yami]
A warm surge of affection emanated from the depths of the darkness within me, embracing the chosen name with profound appreciation.