A/N: Surprise, double chapter! This is one of those 'You have reached the parts where you think of all the time, I will now work overtime!' things.
CRA-KOOM
Lightning surged from the tip of his Sword Wand, the electricity arcing in every direction but making sure that it fired forward. Some struck the walls, others hit the ground, but the majority flew forward.
And fired into the chest piece of the Albion Soldier in front of him.
The man screamed, his voice jumping up and down as the lightning filled his body. His whole body jerked around. Soon he began to smoke as the metal pieces of his armour turned bright red from the heat of his spell.
Until finally, he went silent and fell over dead.
All this happened in the timespan of just a single second.
Wardes pointed his wand to the next target, before having to take a step back when he rushed forward and tried to stab him with his spear.
He chanted a spell, and the weapon in his hand glowed. It crackled with the same electricity, but none of it left the metal of the weapon. With a single swipe, the rounded edge sliced clean through the wooden stick of the spear. Wardes pulled it by his head, before he thrust it forward.
It pierced the metal plating like it wasn't even there, and with a flick of his wrist, pull it out from the side.
The soldier coughed and hacked, before falling backwards right next to his dead companion.
Wardes eyed the corpses for a moment, before he continued forward.
The halls of the Newcastle were a nightmare to go through, especially with the occasional bombing from the Lexington shaking the place and making him lose his orientation every few shots. It seemed that the big ship decided that it was time to blow the castle and all of its inhabitants apart.
More than a few of those cannonballs had hit some of the soldiers, not that it mattered.
Wardes moved through the unfamiliar place, occasionally passing by the corpse of either a Reconquista soldier or an Albion one. There was, surprisingly, more of the former than the latter.
The mage stopped as he stood at the end of one of the hallways. At the other end was a room that was illuminated in a scarlet red glow, suspicious to be sure.
But the man was more focused on the lanterns that were lined up.
Lumafly Lanterns.
His grip on his Sword Wand tightened, as his eyes narrowed at the Insect products.
The fact that even Albion Royalty was accepting of those… invaders was just more reason why the Nobles of Albion rose up. More than a few were carried towards to Albion, bringing their machines and toys. It was how Reconquista could get so much support.
Cromwell's rather transparent plan to direct their next attack towards Tristain, where the Insects had first set foot on Halkegenia, was a good incentive. They all wanted to wipe them out, and take what they had to further use them to move towards the Holy Land.
Frankly, Wardes just wanted to do the former.
He chanted a spell under his breath, and pointed his wand forward. Lightning surged, breaking the glass containers and frying every single Lumafly within the containers.
A sense of catharsis filled his heart at the, admittedly, petty display of power.
But it felt good nonetheless.
[Scene]
Louise flinched as another arm sailed over her head. She suppressed a squeal as the blood caked her head and cloak.
She shuddered at the feeling, but she didn't let it take her attention away. With a heft, she pulled back Sib onto the saddle in front of him, as it left the screaming soldier to his death clutching his shoulder.
Beside her, Kirche was throwing around fireballs. Each one setting whoever was trying to stop them on fire, not even to kill them but enough that they were more focused on putting themselves out rather than stop them.
Tabitha seemed to be have been chanting non-stop the moment they had left the port city. Every so often an errant gust of wind would fly from her and knock aside the soldiers in her path, while other times the arrows that were being fired towards them would be redirected to the side.
Assuming that Sib hadn't sent them back with its Soul Wand.
The image was still horrifying vivid for her, the sight an arrow that was about to take her head off, before Sib suddenly struck it hard enough that it turned right around and took out the archer.
Agnes had her pistol in her hand, shooting away at the few that were in sight. It was faster than Kirche and Tabitha could chant, and it let her disorientate them before they could react.
It also meant that they were easy pickings for Bug follow up with its tendrils.
There were very few times that were more horrifying and demoralising than seeing your companion suddenly lifted in the air. She should know, even from her perspective it was scarring to her so see how casually it could do such a thing.
If the image of the arrow nearly taking her eye out was horrifyingly vivid, the memory of Bug stabbing a soldier through the back of his head and seeing it tendril poke out of his mouth as he was tossed aside was going to haunt her for the next few days.
When it wasn't terrifying the three of them, neither Tabitha nor Agnes seemed to be bothered by its display, it was their last line of defence.
The only two that weren't directly contributing to their trip was Montmorency and herself.
The Water Mage was busy with haphazardly healing them, small healing spells splashing against them as lucky arrows and spears would nick the horses. It was a shame that she wasn't using the crazy spells while she was on the boat, but she was keeping them moving. Whatever she was doing, she was keeping the horses running that she expected that the trip would take shorter than she had expected.
And that left her, trying to keep her Familiars from falling of the horses and getting left behind. They were constantly in motion and it was becoming her job to keep them the around her as they were helping them cut a put towards the castle. Grabbing Sib as it swung to the side to strike at a horse's head. Keeping still as Bug grabbed her by the side of her shirt to aim at a particular target.
She was the thing that kept them with them as they rushed towards the castle.
Speaking of the castle.
The sound of another cannonball bombardment made her and everyone else wince. When it had first happened, it spooked all of them. Now that they were even closer, Louise was hoping that her hearing would be fine after this.
"Damn it!" Kirche cursed, her breathing was getting shallow and tired "By the time we get to the place, that stupid ship is going to bury the place!"
Agnes' arm jerked as her pistol fired out another bullet, splattering the head of the lone soldier on the road in front of them. She shook the smoking weapon in her hands, before she holstered it "Well we can't turn back now. Until that castle actually falls, we need to reach there and get the letter from the Prince."
"What if we're already too late?!" Montmorency screamed, she was the worst of the group as she was still recovering from her little dazed spell on the way here. "What if," she paused taking a deep breath before continuing "What if we get there and the Prince is dead?!"
"Then we turn around!" Agnes replied curtly. "If the Prince is dead, and the letter is gone, we turn around and head back towards Scarborough."
"Just like that?!" Louise asked incredulously.
"You can stay there if you want," Agnes turned to her with a cold look "But if the target is gone, and unless you're all willing to die facing an army equipped with that" she pointed to the massive ship in the air as it continued to blast away at the castle "Then we go right back towards Scarborough."
"Regrettable." Tabitha spoke out "But we must leave if the mission failed."
"Seems like a waste," Kirche said, her tone oddly sad "That we came all this way for a secret mission, only for us to fail to do anything."
Louise gripped the reins of her horse tightly "Well we haven't yet." Louise called out to the others "Until we know that we failed the mission, or that the Prince is dead or that his letter is gone, then we keep going."
"We do not back down. A Valliere would do whatever it takes to complete the mission."
The words echoed in her ears. Her mother's words that bore into her every time she failed to complete a task. Every time a spell blew up. Every time she saw her mother sigh in disappointment.
Louise gritted her teeth at the approaching castle "We have to at least try."
[Scene]
'Sylphid' panted for breath as she flew towards Albion, her wings were pumping her forward as the massive landmass grew closer and closer.
On her back, her 'Big Sis' was silent as she usually was. Probably reading a book while they were flying towards the country.
She still couldn't believe that she had nearly left behind her 'Big Sis' when she rode the boat!
And what was worse was that she was shocked at how the others also forgot. The fact that it was only her that remembered about 'Big Sis' was such a lucky thing, if she hadn't remembered that her 'Big Sis' would be all alone there.
Although, as she continued to flap her wings and fly higher and higher, for some reason her 'Big Sis' seemed to have grown… heavier.
She was getting tired, although she figured it was due to the fact that she had to fly back to the ground before, but even then she couldn't help but feel it was due to her 'Big Sis' getting bigger.
Her head looked over towards her, and through her mind she saw her 'Big Sis' as she usually was. Her appearance was the same as when she was summoned by her.
She was just… bigger.
The sight of her 'Bis Sis' began to blur a bit, as her eyes narrowed at who was sitting on her back.
It turned towards her and placed a hand on her head.
Once it did 'Sylphid' blinked, before it let out a happy purr at the touch of its 'Big Sis'. Maybe it was just too tired from flying. It turned its head back forward and concentrated on flying.
After a long flight, finally 'Sylphid' reached the landmass in the sky. Flying above the clouds, and shaking a bit of the dew on her body, she carefully placed herself on the ground near a city.
And promptly collapsed on the ground, panting in exhaustion.
Wow. She must've been more tired than she thought.
Her wings were so sore, that it almost felt like they were on fire and were about to fall off. And once her 'Big Sis' stepped off, her back started to ache like crazy. Only her legs weren't struggling to stay up, and even then from the few moments where she landed on the ground she couldn't help but feel the soreness in them.
Why was she so tired?
'Big Sis' walked around her, until she was standing next to her. She turned towards her and let out a small cry.
Big Sis, I'm tired.
It was weird how she turned to her immediately, and seemed to understand her words. While this form was less articulate in the human language like her other form, it could still make some noises that could point to a direction of what she was saying. But sometimes it took her 'Big Sis' a while before she really understood.
Now, she just seemed to know what she was saying as she looked at her with her… eyes.
Those are her ey-
Can You Still Fly?
The words entered her mind, and the doubt she was feeling vanished. 'Sylphid' shook her head.
I'm tired, I don't think I can fly anymore…
She looked at her, tilting her head.
Do You Mean You Aren't Capable Of Flight Anymore?
'Sylphid' nodded.
I need to rest before I can fly again.
'Big Sis' turned away from her, her head looking at the castle that was in the distance. 'Sylphid' could see the massive ship that was flying around it, and let out a whimper of fear.
'Big Sis' then turned back towards her.
How Long?
'Sylphid' blinked.
Huh?
How Long Do You Need To Rest?
She was worried about her, that was nice… 'Sylphid' let out a coo.
A couple of hours. Just let me lay down for a while, and then I can fly again to the castle.
'Big Sis' turned back towards the castle, and spoke.
There is No Need.
Huh?
'Big Sis' nodded at her direction.
I Will Head Towards The Castle Ahead Of You, And Once You Have Rested You Must Head Towards The Castle So That We May Leave.
Confusion filled the dragon's head, and she shook her head.
But Big Sis, you won't be able to make it there!
She was just a… human.
Was she?
Her 'Big Sis' did seem to large to be a human… and its shape just seemed to be out of focus that she couldn't to focus on the figure of h-
Do Not Worry. I Will Make It, You Just Need To Rest.
Her body grew tired and the she abandoned the thought that she was thinking. 'Sylphid' let out a yawn and nodded her head.
Okay Big Sis. Stay safe…
The last thing she saw was her dashing forward at incredible speeds.
[Scene]
SWOOSH
Once more Sib swung its weapon, and sliced off another arm.
Agnes rushed in, before the man could react to the loss of his weapon arm and jabbed him in the neck with her sword. It stabbed him clean in the neck, and the Bodyguard raised her foot and kicked him off.
The man thrashed on the stone ground, blood pouring out from both his neck and where his arm had been cut off.
"Fireball!"
The red orange flame erupted from Kirche's wand, and set the group of men alight. They dropped their weapons and started trying to put themselves out, panicking as some tried to pull off the metal on their bodies.
They were too pre-occupied trying to survive the fire, none of the noticed when Bug swung a tendril towards them.
Louise had to hold back a gag when the whip that had split the metal pot, did the same for the necks of the soldiers. Two headless corpses fell back.
One of them charged towards her, a sword in hand. He got two steps closer towards her, before a tendril speared him in the side of the head, going in from one ear and coming out the other. The black appendage flicked it away.
It landed just in front of the the last remaining soldier of the group that had attacked them. He looked at the ground around him for a moment, before he turned around and tried to run.
Louise was willing to let them go.
SWOOSH
Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for her Familiars.
Sib landed on the ground, once again before the head it had cut off. The soldier fell his chest, while his head rolled to a stop in front of the four horned Void Vessel.
Bug walked up towards the head, and was just about to kick it.
"BUG!" Louise exclaimed, before it could. She looked at the head for a moment, a shiver going up her spine "Just… don't."
It tilted its head, but walked away from it and towards her. Sib looked at the head for a moent, before doing the same.
"Is there…" Montmorency looked around from her spot behind her horse "Is there anyone else?"
The five looked around them, the courtyard was empty save for the corpses that were strewn about. Most of them due to her two Void Vessels.
They had arrived at the gates just a while ago, and waiting at the gates where the Reconquista Soldiers all of whom were all too willing to try and kill them the moment they came into view.
The gate was already broken down, meaning that they had entry towards the castle. Distantly they could hear the fighting going in instead, every so often they could see what look like other soldiers being blasted out of the windows above them, plummeting towards their death.
"We're clear," Agnes answered, shaking her sword to try and clear off the blood before she sheathed it. Her hand moved towards her pistol, and with practised motion she reloaded the weapon "The rest of them are probably inside, so we need to get in and find that letter now."
All five of them nodded and they all jogged towards the main doors.
However, when she tried to push, she found that they were stuck. She could push them open a bit, but there was something that was preventing her from pushing forward further.
"I can't open it," Louise told them "Something is blocking it."
"A barrier?" Agnes asked.
"No." Tabitha shook her head "Just barricaded. We need to break through if we want enter through here."
"Is this the safest route?" Kirche asked, she was out of breath "Because if we have to walk around, I must just end up dead weight."
"We just need to blow this door open," Montmorency said, she turned towards Bug and crossed her arms "Well?"
Bug looked at the three Academy Students that were looking at it, before it turned around and found that its Master was looking at it as well.
"What're you waiting for Bug?"
When it received a nod from its Master, the Void Vessel faced the door.
Its body shifted, the black swallowing up the rest of the skull while its black eyes lit up a pure white. Slowly the rest of the group backed away from the Void Vessel, the memories of the little show it had done still fresh within their heads. Agnes seeing them back away, followed suit.
One of its hands glowed the same colour, it looked at the door for a moment before it launched itself forward.
The door, the stone around the door, and everything that had been behind it was blown apart with that single blow.
Black wisps of magical energy floated around the air for a couple of moments, before it dissipated leaving behind Bug as it stood in the doorway.
A moment later a tunnel of air suddenly flung the Void Vessel of its little feet, tumbling over the air.
"Bug!" She called out towards it, she backpedalled and held out her arms. It landed in her arms, her Familiar looking more than a little confused at its sudden flight.
Another tunnel of air suddenly fired from inside the door, forcing them to brace themselves before they were flung away just as her Familiar had been.
Tabitha, despite the wind trying to blow her away, was already chanting a spell under her breath. Her eyes stared forward, and pointed her staff at the door.
A powerful gust of wind fired back towards the doorway, it wasn't as sustained as the one that was firing towards them but it was stronger. It pushed back against the existing tunnel of wind, and from the cries they heard from inside it had knocked whoever was casting the spell. That and a few others.
They rushed inside, before another spell was casted. Inside they found two heavily injured men, one of them wearing knight armoured that covered his head while the other was wearing more fancy looking armour that had a cape and had gone without a helmet.
While the former was covered in head to toe in armour and has no distinguishable features, the other one was a rather handsome looking man. He looked young, with blonde hair and blue eyes, he had the look of a Noble. He was also heavily injured, as the armour that they wore had parts missing as they reveal rather ghastly looking wounds.
The young man saw them approach, and raised the hand that was holding the wand.
Quickly, she, Montmorency, Tabitha, and Kirche pointed their wands towards them. Agnes did the same with her pistol. And to her surprise, she saw Sib and Bug merely pointing their own weapons forward.
The blonde eyes narrowed, gritting his teeth as he stared up at them.
"Who are," he asked, his breath cutting short with a cough as his wand clattered to the ground. He stared at it for a moment, before he just looked at them with a glare "Who are you?"
Louise pointed her wand forward, her eyes scanned the two before her trying to see if they had any of the insignia of the Reconquista soldiers that they had seen before this. To her relief, they had none of them "I am Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere," She introduced herself "I am sent here to find Prince Wales Tudor of Albion."
"What do you need with him?" He asked "If you want his head, you better make it quick."
"No." She answered "I am here on request of Princess Henrietta."
"We are to send him a letter," Agnes continued, eyes glancing at the two making sure to see every single twitch "A secret one from her towards him."
The man's glare soften as his eyes widened, as much as they could in his condition "She really did?" Despite the situation, a smile broke out on his face "Oh Henrietta, even now you still hold those feelings?"
"Excuse me?" Kirche blinked in confusion.
The man looked at them gently "I am Prince Wales Tudor, and here with my is the last remaining bodyguard that I have." He turned to him "Say hello Nelson."
The man in armour let out a grunt.
"You are Prince Wales?" Montmorency asked in surprise.
"A sorry sight isn't it." The blonde stated as he pushed himself into a seated position "Ashame you did not arrive earlier, to have such a group of Nobles would've warranted a feast!"
"Assuming we had enough," Nelson spoke up, the man chuckling.
"We would've greeted you with the welcoming of Newcastle, but as you can see now," he gestured around them where the bodies of soldiers littered the area around them "Instead of cheer and merriment, you just see corpses-"
The castle shook as powerful force seem to shake it, almost making them stumble.
Wale didn't even blink "And explosions." He looked up at Louise "So sorry Valliere, you deserved a better welcome. Any case, do you have the letter with you?" He asked, holding out a hand.
Louise's lips pulled into a thin line, and she kept her wand pointed forward "How do I know that you're actually Prince Wales?"
The blonde smiled, before he turned his hand to face the floor. It revealed the Ruby Ring on his finger.
Before he could say anything else, the Water Ruby on her finger shone brighter than it had before. The one that had been on the finger of the blonde did the same, and from the distance they could see the sight of small rainbow.
The blonde was silent for a moment his eyes wide, before he smiled "The Wind Ruby of Albion and the Water Ruby of Tristain, together they form the rainbow between the royal families."
Louise lowered her wand, and the rest followed suit.
[Scene]
"Whoah…"
Bug entered a room that was coloured a scarlet red, from the walls, to the ceilings, to the ground. The moment they had entered the, large, room everything seemed to glow red.
The source of it all was the Nightmare Troupe torch that stood at the throne.
It was burning brightly, like the torch that it had lit up back in the Howling Cliffs.
It's Sibling didn't seem to know what it was, it was staring into the flames with a confused tilt.
"Yeah," the one called Nelson sounded "Everyone pretty much had the same reaction when we saw it this morning." He was walking now. After Montmorency has healed the two with some spell, the two were able to walk and bring them towards the room. They claimed that it was the 'safest'.
The fact that there were more corpses here than anywhere else in the castle told it that it was easier to defend rather than it being safe.
"I didn't think it was real," it heard its Master spoke in hushed awe "We read about it, but we've never seen one before."
"I mean this is our first fallen Kingdom," Kirche had said trying to sound as she usually did, but it could see that she was struggling "It's still a pretty colour."
Wale looked at the letter, and without another word he opened it and started to get. As he was reading it, both Bug and Sib started walking towards the torch.
It was burning so brightly, even brighter than it had seen back in Hallownest. The red flames seem to grow high.
Bug stared into the fire, as something within it was familiar.
A pair of red eyes, somehow even brighter than the scarlet flames appeared within.
And then a moment later, a familiar figure appeared in front of Bug.
It was as tall as its Master, only its black horns giving it an edge in their height. The figure infront of it, had a white face that contrasted heavily with its red eyes. A black cloak covered the rest of its body, the underside of its cloak was a similar red to its eyes.
Its head tilted down to look at Bug from its taller height, and a previously unseen mouth stretched into a wide smile.
"Ahhh," His voice was soft, at least compared to the previous figure that shared his appearance "I expected to see you dear friend, but not so soon~"
Its cloak opened, revealing its red stomach and black Insect like legs. The 'cloak' was revealed to have been a membrane that was connected to arms. One of its arms draped over its chest, while the other stretched out to the side.
Then he bowed.
"It's so good to see you once more."
Bug was… confused.
It raised its head, for a moment the smile was gone and an odd look replaced it.
At least, before the smile returned with a sound.
"That's right," it stood up straight "It's been years since we last saw each other, since we last fought your cursed Sibling." He shook his head "I must appear different towards your memory of me."
Bug tilted its head.
The figure looked down at it, "Is it I dear friend, the one that was called Grimmchild" and let out a play 'Nyaaah~'.
Its head snapped up, staring up with… something dwelling inside it.
Grimmchild smile grew "I am excited as well dear friend."
It was then it noticed that it was the only one that was reacting towards them, Bug turned to Sib who had been standing beside it. Only to see that it had left and was standing next to Agnes.
"Fret not dear friend," Grimmchild spoke "So far only those with the flames of the Nightmare within them can see me." It stepped forward, walking down from the steps of the throne "And even then, it is only who I can allow to see me."
It didn't remember that it could do that before.
"That was before I grew up and matured, before I understand the scope of the powers that my father once held," He held up a hand and from its palms a swirl of red fire appeared "Time has allowed me to grow dear friend, I am not the child that I was before."
Grimmchild stared forward, and so did Bug. It appeared that they were talking amongst each other.
"I am now the aspect of the Nightmare's Heart, to watch over Kingdoms that are meant to fall" Grimmchild told it "After your victory over your Cursed Sibling, I had left to continue my destiny. The years that went by, as other kingdoms burned away and I came to harvest the nightmares and dreams. Now I am here, to see the fall of the Kingdom of Albion."
So that was what happened after it had entered the Dream of the Hollow Knight.
Grimmchild let out a hum "Yes, that fight of yours. Even if I was not attuned completely towards the Nightmare's Heart back then, it was odd to see the other half of my essence. Not only that, but fighting it as well."
It was what it had to do, to take down its Ancient Enemy once and for all.
"I do not begrudge your choice dear friend," he turned to it, and once more it smiled "I am simply happy to see you once more. Maybe, you can tell me how you arrive here?"
It didn't really know.
"Well when you do, please regale me once you have the chance." Grimmchild turned to its Master who was walking towards it, the Prince Wales was leading her "It might be quite some time before we can meet again."
He was leaving?
"No," Grimmchild shook its head "You are, farewell dear friend."
"Bug?"
The Vessel looked up at its Master, before looking to the side to see that Grimmchild had vanished.
Louise had a worried look on her face "Are you okay? You didn't see anything bad in that fire did you?"
Bug shook its head. There was nothing unpleasant there.
She smiled a bit, as did the prince.
"At least one of us isn't affected by it," he said under his breath. He then turned towards the doorway "Come, my room is just this way. I'll take you there and then bring you to the evacuation ship below, hopefully the Eagle hasn't left yet." He turned to the armoured man. "Nelson, you lead the others there."
"Yes sir."
Bug walked up towards Louise, she held up her hand to which it grabbed it. It held out its own hand, and Sib took it.
Kirche let out a snort at the sight.
"Let's go," Wale started walking towards where he had pointed, and its Master followed.
The last thing they head from the other group was a-
"Montmorency, stop staring at the torch and let's go!"
The hallways were filled with corpses. Every so often, they would run into a soldier that was dealt with a single spell that blew them into a wall. Soon they reached a door, it was no different from the rest of the doors.
Wales opened the door, smiling "They never expect the Prince's room to be so normal."
Indeed, it was a very normal room. It was not much bigger than its Master's room back at the Academy, and the contents were less.
Wales walked towards a table dresser, and pulled out a metal box. He reached for his pocket and pulled out a key, he stared at it for a moment, before he inserted it into the lock. With a click, it opened and from within he took out a envelope.
For a moment he stared at it, longer than he had for the key. He turned towards its Master "Well Miss Valliere, I give you this. The letter that could damn Tristain into a war with Albion, I wanted to destroy it before, but I just couldn't handle it." He put the letters in her hands "So keep it safe, and bring it back safely to Henrietta."
Louise took it and nodded "I will."
Wales smiled, before he looked down at them. His smile stretched wider "You keep her safe."
The two of them looked at each other, before nodding.
"I'll go out first, and tell you if there's anything out there" Wales informed her, walking out of the room.
Louise looked at the letter in her hand, making sure that her grip wasn't staining the paper with the blood on her body.
"Mission successful," she muttered. She looked down at them "Good job you two."
"HEY!"
Wale's voice shouted from outside the room, immediately she turned towards the door as she stuffed the letter into her pouch.
"WHAT ARE Y-"
CRA-SHOOSH
A blast of magical energy suddenly shook the room they were in, and they saw the body of Wales suddenly fly past the door as he cried out.
Louise gritted her teeth as she held out her wand, while Bug and Sib readied their weapons.
A moment later footsteps, heavy ones, stopped just outside the door.
Then a hand, a large back hand grabbed the edges of the door.
It heard it's Master gasp at what entered room.
Bug…
Bug felt the same feeling as before, when the Mask of the Hollow Knight peeked through the door.