Chapter Text
"My Wyrm, was it really necessary to dive into your plan to establish trade routes between our three kingdoms to Vespa and Herrah in such detail?"
The White Lady was making her way to her quarters, her long white gown rustling softly as she moved, the Pale King’s sinuous, clattering gait accompanying her as they walked down the long corridor.
"I'm almost sure the Hive Queen finally lost her focus after the third hour." she continued.
"Herrah, for her part, dozed off as soon as we passed the two-hour mark. You'll have to be more careful; despite their power, they're still mortal beings. I think they were truly relieved to be escorted to the guests' wing at the meeting's end." the Queen added with a little laugh.
"Don't worry, my Root. I'm simply ensuring the well-being and proper development of our respective realms, while making it clear to the Spider that I am not to be summoned as one would a mere servant." replied the Pale King with a cold grin in his voice, looking straight in front of him.
"I may be a God, but I am not theirs."
"Still, dear husband, nearly four hours straight of road maps, tax and revenue tables, demographic data, and in-depth analyses of each region’s needs and production—that’s a lot to take in, even for me." replied the Queen with a hint of amusement still on her mouth.
"After all, very few beings can hold a candle to Looks to the Moon and her brother when it comes to this sort of thing, it seems."
"Indeed, dear. That reminds me of something." remarked the King.
"While we were at our dear friend Lurien's Spire, Five Pebbles shared a brilliant suggestion with me on how to handle traffic problems in the Capital."
He turned to the White Lady and smiled at her.
"I imagine your advisors have exposed the problem to you, my Root?"
"Oh, don't even mention it. I had to take them by the claw for several hours this morning to prepare for Unn's Day. We've decided to welcome the visitors outside the City of Tears. Our capital is apparently at capacity and cannot accommodate any more residents, however temporary they may be, my King."
"A concern shared by Lurien as well. This is a wise decision, my Queen. Where have you set up the place of reception?"
"Not far from the Archives, dear. The caves there are large, and transporting visitors and goods will be easy—and hardly any different from bringing them to the Capital, had that been the case."
The King let out a humming sound of approval, before changing the subject.
"I think Unn's grand ball would be a good opportunity to introduce our dear guests to our subjects, my Queen. Rumors are already circulating, and it would be unwise to let these fester for too long. It’s already prompted Herrah to speak out; I dare not imagine what would happen if the Mantis Lords were to find out as well."
The Queen paused for a few moments as they turned to another corridor, then nodded in approval, causing her crown of branches to rustle softly.
"This seems to indeed be a good idea, dear husband. Maybe I could also introduce them to Unn once they wakes up?"
"You don't need my approval, my Queen. You know the creator of Greenpath far better than I do—who am I to dictate how you should conduct yourself with them?"
After a moment, he added, with an amused look on his face.
"Besides, you were the ones who discovered lady Moon in your gardens, so you're free to do whatever you think is best for her. As for her brother, though, I'm keeping him—I was the one who found him."
"My Wyrm, I'm not sure that's how it works." replied the Queen with a giggle.
"Oh but yes! He broke four of my Kingsmoulds, so he owes it to me to at least help me cast the replacements. Besides, he seemed particularly interested in magical processes in general, so this will be a good opportunity to give him an introduction."
"Oh, I think Monomon would have already brought up the subject with them, dear Wyrm." the White Lady responded.
"I hope everything goes well at the Archives." she added, looking pensive.
[Warning - Emotional Cores overstressed - Overheat risks imminent]
"Lady Moon, is everything alright?"
"Yes Monomon—its not important. Could you explain to me what did you mean when you told us that some shamans are—the Void??"
[Warning - Emotional Cores overstressed - Overheat risks imminent]
"Moon, calm down. Your halo is bright red." muttered her brother, in an alarmed tone.
"Pebbles." snapped back Moon.
"How could there be the Void Sea here? Do you know what are the implications of that?"
The soft green light in the room had now turned to a reddish tone, while the blue Iterator floated in the center, holographic flashes from her overcharged halo darting in all directions and reflecting off the few metal objects of the place.
A light, high-pitched screech emanated from Moon's own vocal box, while a thin stream of steam was coming out of the thin thermal vents located near her neck.
[Warning - Emotional Cores overstressed - Overheating]
"Lady Moon, listen to your brother. Calm down, please—everything is under control, you don't need to-" began Monomon, partially hiding her face behind a clipboard to shield herself from the blinding light.
"I thought the Cycle wasn't a think, here? I thought you could die? What does that mean?" Moon replied, turning abruptly toward the Teacher, her voice rising to a higher pitch.
[Warning - Emotional Cores overstressed - Overheating]
Suddenly, Five Pebbles leapt into the air and placed himself right in front of his sister.
"Pebbles—?"
Without replying, the pink Iterator placed a cold hand on her face, a faint electric crackle sounded, and Moon felt herself falling to the ground into her brother’s arms, hearing Monomon's distant gasp of surprise.
"...no, it's not that bad. We Iterators are built to be resilient, and my sister is one particularly strong, even after all the pressure our Creators put on her."
That was her brother's voice.
"Quirrel should be back soon with the water you asked for, Five Pebbles. What made lady Moon react that way to what I said? Is it my fault she's in this state?"
Another voice, sounding more distant. Not one of an Iterator.
Not one of a Benefactor either.
Why was she called a lady?
She couldn't access her visual sensors.
Her gyroscopes indicated that she was lying down, a curious position for an Iterator's puppet.
Her touch sensors were sending back a sensation that was too vague to be interpreted correctly.
She felt... warm.
Too warm.
"Madam, I did this as quickly as I could; here are as much flasks filled with water as I could carry."
Yet another voice.
"Perfect. Quirrel, could you lift her head? Be careful not to strain her neck joint too much, and don't burn yourself."
Five Pebbles' voice, again.
What was Pebbles doing in her chamber?
Another design change dictated by the Benefactors?
No, that wasn't possible—they were no longer.
She felt her head—the head of her puppet—being gently lifted, and a thin stream of water flowed through her vents, instantly cooling her circuits.
And then, she remembered.
She wasn't in her chamber.
She was somewhere else.
She was somewhere so far from her chamber, or her Can, or her Superstructure, even.
She opened her eyes and tried to raise her head, which made Monomon's apprentice—who was still pouring water over her shoulders—let out a small squeak of surprise.
"Moon, how are you feeling?"
Standing before her was Five Pebbles, crouched on the ground, staring at her with a look of concern.
"Pebbles... I, I'm okay, I think. I'm feeling better, at least."
"Perfect. Stay in that position; don't move. Quirrel, empty the last few bottles—that should be more than enough."
Moon tried to turn her head, but her neck was sore, and she could only shift her gaze slightly.
She met Monomon's curious look as the latter scribbled in her notebook, while Quirrel tapped the remaining few drops out of the last flask.
"All right, Moon. Look at me, please."
Her gaze returned to her brother.
"Thirteen to the fifth power?" he asked, without taking his eyes off her.
Willingly complying with the procedure, Moon responded like a good student.
"371293, dear brother."
"The chemical formula for carbonic acid?" he continued, undaunted.
"Two hydrogen atoms, one carbon atom, and three oxygen atoms."
"What are the main principles behind the Eighth and Twenty-Sixth Amendments to the Capricious Dogma?"
"That a meaning collector point inversion is the only way to approach noise milking. Or rock swatting, if you prefer, Pebbles." added Moon, with a tint of humor in her voice.
The interested let out a sigh of relief, his posture slumping slightly.
"You gave us quite a scare, big sister—that's the least I can say."
At the same time, Pebbles opened his arms, almost hesitantly, before finally beginning to close them again.
Realizing what he was getting at, Moon walked over to him and gave him a gentle hug.
"Don't worry, little brother. Thanks to you, everything is just fine now." she muttered.
She turned her head toward Monomon, who seemed to find the scene adorable, judging by the manner she curled her tentacles.
Amused by the reaction, Moon raised her voice to be heard.
"Could we pick up where we left off, dear Teacher?"
Regaining her composure, Monomon replied in a strange tone.
"If you're feeling better, lady Moon, we can. However, wee need to move; it'll be easier to explain this to you in a more... secluded part of the Archives."
"Perfect. Quirrel, could you lift her head? Be careful not to strain her neck joint too much, and don't burn yourself."
It took Quirrel some time to understand what the pink God was asking of him.
Did he want him to... touch lady Moon's head?
Just by reaching out his hand, he felt the heat radiating from the seemingly lifeless body of the blue God.
Did Five Pebbles killed her?
Was it the mention of the Abyss that had caused her to seemingly fly into such a rage?
Did the Iterator Gods harbor such a deep hatred for the Void?
Yet it was only a legend, good for grubs and the such.
After a final moment of hesitation, Quirrel covered his claw with a cloth soaked in water and tried, as best he could, to pour the contents of a carafe into the small spaces between the plates that formed the shoulders of Looks to the Moon’s strange metallic body.
Immediately, a violent spasm shook the God, and Quirrel had to stop himself from screaming in fear.
Oh no.
He had wounded her.
He had wounded a God in front of her brother, one who could command lightning and fights on equal terms against the Pale King, the most powerful deity in the Kingdom.
He was going to die this day.
"Moon, how are you feeling?" the vengeful God suddenly declared.
"Pebbles... I, I'm okay, I think. I'm feeling better, at least." replied his sister, weak but apparently alive.
Oh. Maybe he will live for another day, after all, thought the apprentice.
"Perfect. Stay in that position; don't move." replied the pink God, before turning his burning white gaze at the blue bug.
"Quirrel, empty the last few bottles—that should be more than enough."
Eager to obey, the latter poured the rest of the contents of the last carafe onto Looks to the Moon’s shoulders, where a thin wisp of steam was still rising.
As he set the last jug down on the floor, Quirrel noticed the blue god's head move, and turned to see what had caught her attention.
He silently stared at the Teacher, who seemed very interested in how things were going and who gave him a little encouraging nod between lines of text.
Sensing that Looks to the Moon no longer needed his help, he removed the now dry cloth wrapped around his claw and gathered the empty bottles around him into his satchel, before joining Monomon.
He sat down, feeling strangely exhausted, next to Monomon, while the two Iterators discussed things that Quirrel had trouble understanding.
"Very well done, my young apprentice." the Teacher whispered to him, between taking notes to what the two Gods were saying. "You handled an unfamiliar and strange situation as best you could. I would have expected nothing less from you."
"Thank you, Madam."
That was all Quirrel could manage to say. The adrenaline that had been coursing through him was starting to wear off, and he realized he was thirsty, too.
Ugh, there was nothing left in the flasks, and Five Pebbles would probably have smitten him on the spot if he’d tried to drink the water the other asked for anyway.
He was just about to get up to get something to quench his thirst when Looks to the Moon spoke to Monomon.
"Could we pick up where we left off, dear Teacher?"
He paused in his thoughts and turned his head toward the Teacher.
Ah. That expression of her didn't bode well.
He was going to have to be patient.
"If you're feeling better, lady Moon, we can. However, wee need to move; it'll be easier to explain this to you in a more... secluded part of the Archives." declared the Madam, looking delighted.
How wonderful.
How absolutely wonderful.
They were truly fascinating.
Monomon felt once again like she had back when she was just a young novice invited to the royal court, so long ago.
At the time, she had been both astonished and fascinated by the Pale King —a figure of divinity and a wellspring of wisdom—and even today, she relished the rare conversations she had with him.
But with the two newcomers, her thirst of knowledge was whetted even more.
And her theories about those two Gods evolved as she interacted with them.
In particular, an ancient and forgotten legend had come back to her mind—one that spoke of very ancient gods of Thunder and Rain.
Two Gods—a peculiar detail—who vanished from the face of the world so very long ago.
And between Lady Moon’s obvious anger to the mention of the Void and her brother’s request for water—not to mention all the strange references they were making to that liquid—there were plenty of details that could support one of the wildest theories the Teacher had come up with.
Even in the capital, they had reacted strangely to the sight from the Tower of Lurien. The city itself was a breathtaking sight, as Five Pebbles had shown, but Looks to the Moon, on the other hand, had made no comment, strangely enough.
Did they really come from another reality, or are they coming from another time?
Monomon pondered this question as they once again made their way through the narrow passageways leading to the most secure sections of the Archives, where forbidden knowledge and the most controversial information were stored.
Among other things, everything the Wyrm had discovered through his experiences with the Void, as well as the complete catalog of the deities of Hallownest and elsewhere, including those forgotten and despised.
Could it really be that ancient Gods have resurfaced?
Is it because of the waking Radiance?
Absentmindedly, she pulled a long, strange wrought-iron key from under her dress (an object she had sworn to keep secret until her death) and slipped it between two rocks in a wall that looked quite ordinary.
After several turns of the key in specific directions, a mechanical clicking sound could be heard, and a section of the wall crumbled away, opening the way to a large, dark vault exhaling a musty atmosphere. There was no light inside, except for a few cylinders of acid scattered here and there.
Satisfied, the Teacher turned to the rest of her entourage.
Lady Moon seemed impressed, while Five Pebbles had already approached the wall and was touching the stones with his fingertips.
The young Quirrel, for his part, seemed completely dumbfounded and at a loss for words.
"Hurry up and go inside, please—the passageway will close in a few moments. For safety and secrecy reasons." Monomon added, in response to the suspicious look the pink Iterator was giving her.
And indeed, after they had all crossed the threshold of the Forbidden Archives, the door closed with a screech of stone and metal.
"All right." began Monomon, taking place on a stage dimly lit by a skylight cut into the ceiling. "First of all, Quirrel, you should know that you’re probably the first student to come here since this place was founded. So I’m counting on you to keep this a secret; otherwise, I’m afraid our good King will have to take action."
While her apprentice was analyzing the meaning behind her words, she turned back to her other guests, who had already begun to venture further into the center of the immense library that laid before them.
"Lady Moon, Five Pebbles." she called out to them to get their attention.
"Let me introduce the main topic of this class with a legend well known to the children of Hallownest: that of the Lord of Shades, the Devourer of Gods, the Void Given Focus."
Quirrel coughed.
"Oh, that old story? Not to question your judgment, but is that really appropriate for the situation, Teacher? They're just grub's tales, after all."
The look Monomon gave him made him immediately shudder.
"In legends and children’s stories, the Void serves as a symbol of danger to be avoided—such as the dark, or unknown places—which relegates it more to the realm of myth than anything else in Hallownest’s culture. Sometime, it is replaced, or embodied, by the Shade Lord, a legendary being who supposedly have the power to unite the Void under a singular will." began Monomon.
"In the stories, the Shade Lord manifest themselves in order to torment the inhabitants of the Kingdom. Evidently, there has never been any seriously documented observation of this being, so we don't even know if could ever have existed."
"However, every myth has a basis found in reality, and in the case of these legends, that reality takes the form of a vast ocean located in the deepest part of the Kingdom, in the aptly named Abyss."
Five Pebbles mentally flinched.
There were starting to be way too many similarities between this Void and its golden counterpart, at that point.
However, the pink Iterator didn't say anything and let the Teacher continue her explanation.
"For a long time, access to the Abyss had been blocked by order of the Pale King, who did not want the knowledge of such a threat to weigh on the entire Kingdom.
Alas, ever since the sickness we know as the Radiance broke out, and after numerous failed attempts to find an alternative solution, our King has been forced to reopen this most dangerous place."
Moon asked a question.
"How would this... substance would be an answer to such a disease, Monomon?"
Five Pebbles noticed the hesitation in his sister's voice.
He knew where her train of thought was heading.
Would they once again be subjected to the sight of the Void Baths, where each user left behind nothing but a small pile of dust after each use?
The pink Iterator grimaced again at the memory of the piles of rusting Citizen Drones heaped up in front of the temples of his Metropolis.
The only reminder of their former owners, now left to the mercy of the elements and wild creatures.
A minor thread of thought raised the question of what use a non-functional Citizen Drone would be to a lizard, and was closed almost immediately.
Five Pebbles turned his attention back to the outside world as Monomon prepared to answer the question of Looks to the Moon.
"Void would not be a direct solution, lady Moon. The substance is far too dangerous, for even a small drop can kill an adult bug. And we do not plan to kill every infected subject, on the contrary."
She paused, before continuing.
"While Pale Beings represent light and unity, the Void is their exact opposite, both in nature and form. As such, it poses an immense and mortal danger to any Higher Being—such as the Pale King, the White Lady, or even you yourself, lady Moon, I suppose.
But the King considered this ability useful in combating the Radiance, since the disease itself was of a divine nature.
Instead of eliminating it, our monarch devised a way to contain it and confine it forever outside the realm of the living."
She paused again.
"Thus was created the Hollow Knight, born of God and Void. A hollowed vessel, created for the sole purpose of forever containing the Radiance."
Five Pebbles spoke up.
"Excuse me, Monomon, but why are you employing the term "born" and not "made"? It's an artificial being, after all."
Monomon was about to answer, but then suddenly fell silent.
"In light of what you have told me about your past life and what I am about to say, I hope you will be able to show mercy toward our King. So far, the Radiance could not even been slowed, and many subjects have already succumbed to its effects, even if the proportions are still relatively small."
"...continue." Pebbles replied with suspicion.
"To do this, the King and Queen had to make a great sacrifice. Truly artificial entities, such as the Kingsmoulds, did not meet the necessary conditions to trap the Radiance." continued Monomon, seeming to be increasingly uncomfortable.
"And so then?"
"To trap the Radiance, one needs dreams and hopes. One needs a soul. To that end, the royal couple decided to conceive an heir, only to sacrifice it by casting it into the Abyss. Thus, the nature of this heir—both divine and void—would make it possible to imprison and resist the cursed memory of the ancient God of Dreams."
A long silence hung in the air, broken only by Quirrel, who shifted his position as quietly as he could.
"So, if I understand correctly, the Hollow Knight is the child of the White Lady and the Pale King, and has just enough of a soul—or whatever it is—to catch a divine disease and then get locked in a box for the rest of eternity?" Five Pebbles summed up, his halo turning red and starting to emit holographic sparks.
"Five Pebbles, the King and the Queen are the first to suffer as a result. Our monarch has determined that this is the best solution, and his will shall be respected." replied Monomon from her stage.
"In that case, we’ll find another solution. We Iterators were designed for this, and the only “thanks” we received was to be abandoned, locked away in our Cans. I refuse to stand idly by and let the Pale King’s plan unfold. I promised him I would help him in his search for a remedy, and I intend to keep my promise. What do you say, Moon? Moon?"
His sister's gaze was lost in space, her antennae drooping on her shoulders, her halo almost dim.
"That explains so much... Poor White Lady, I had no idea..."
She stood up at her brother's question.
"You're right, Five Pebbles." she declared. "I think it is time we return to the Palace. Monomon, thank you for your hospitality; your help and knowledge has been invaluable." she added, nodding with her head.
Surprised by the change in tone, Monomon replied only by bowing.
"Apprentice Quirrel, could you please see our guests back to the Palace? I have some things to take care of here." she added after some time.
The return trip to the capital took place in a calm, though slightly tense, atmosphere.
Both Gods sat facing Quirrel, their postures equally rigid, were it not for the slight movements of their heads that kept their gazes constantly aligned horizontally, regardless of the bumps in the cobblestone road.
It was a most unsettling sight, but Quirrel was slowly beginning to get used to it.
After all, in two days, he had probably seen more deities up close than even the most devout pilgrim had in a lifetime.
Eventually, even the extraordinary loses its originality.
Quirrel wondered what would happen once he got back to the Archives.
As long as he wasn't asked to copy encyclopedias by claw all over again...
Suddenly, he noticed that the blue God was staring at him, politely waiting for him to pay attention to her.
"Yes, lady Moon? What can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to thank you for helping my brother, apprentice." She began with a smile in her voice.
"Even if he doesn't say it out loud, I know your assistance was appreciated. Isn't that right, little brother?" Looks to the Moon added, gently nudging the pink God.
After a sigh, the latter turned away from the window where he had been watching the passing landscape and fixed his intense, pale gaze on Quirrel, who couldn't help but feel a slight shiver run through him.
"Thank you for your help, apprentice Quirrel. Your quick action allowed us to avoid the worst."
He fell silent and returned to gazing at the mushrooms-covered cliffs.
"I've known you to be more eloquent, Pebbles." declared Looks to the Moon after some time. "For example, during that famous inter-group debate where your 52nd intervention really set the airwaves ablaze." she added, with a knowing look at Quirrel, who was completely beside himself.
"Moon! We said we wouldn't bring this up again. Those incompetent Transcendentalists are the ones who are wrong, anyway. Their methods are flawed at the most basic logical levels, and they refuse to admit it."
"Maybe so, little brother, but you don't go picking a fight with one of their most prominent theorists without expecting some backlash. It took me several cycles and help from both NSH and SRS to calm NGI and their local group down."
"Were you a student, too, Five Pebbles?" Quirrel ventured, eager to appear polite and interested.
"You could say that." replied the pink God. "The student, the teacher, and the lizard on the dissection table—all at once."
Quirrel could only shake his head, not really knowing what a lizard was.
The rest of the journey proceeded more calmly, as the two Gods returned to their observation of the landscape.
They soon passed through the gates of the City of Tears, advancing with difficulty beneath a covered road teeming with traffic.
Their carriage slowed down, then came to a stop, and raised voices could be heard between the coachbug and a group of guards standing along the road.
Guards from noble houses, Quirrel noted. The Watcher had complained about their increasingly disrespectful behavior.
"Quirrel, what's going on?" Looks to the Moon asked from beneath the thick hood of her coat. "Why did we stop?"
"Please stay here. I'm going to inquire on the situation." replied the student while checking to make sure his nail was well attached to his belt.
Better safe than sorry.
As Quirrel stepped out of the carriage, he could see that the coachman was arguing heatedly with what appeared to be the leader of the group.
"Excuse me, what is the reason for our stop, Captain?"
The latter turned abruptly toward him, and his face lit up with a honeyed smile.
"Good day, O student of the Archives." he began in a drawling voice. "We are here to assist a carriage bearing the royal emblem—yours, in this case—which has unfortunately become bogged down among the vile carts of the commoners living in our streets. We simply came to suggest taking a detour through our neighborhoods, where the roads are wide, empty and well-maintained. I imagine the noble people you are accompanying will appreciate this gesture, young apprentice, won’t they?"
Quirrel didn't know what to say. For one thing, the fact that the other bug had been able to recite his line without pausing to catch his breath was somewhat impressive, but his proposal—however laudable it might seem—smelled far too much like some kind of trap.
And the King had entrusted him with the responsibility of protecting Looks to the Moon and Five Pebbles from any dangers they might encounter.
And to not let them be seen by the public.
Argh, what to do.
Seeing that Quirrel remained silent, the captain stepped forward and continued his speech.
"Perhaps an interview with their benefactors would even be a most charitable gesture of gratitude, wouldn't it, young apprentice? People as distinguished as those who travel in a carriage bearing the emblems of Hallownest can only appreciate those who so generously offer our escort services."
"Um, I don't think this is a good idea, I—" began Quirrel, just as he felt himself losing his composure.
"That coach and its occupants are under my protection, Captain!" a thunderous voice suddenly declared. "Thank you for keeping them safe until now; I'll take over from here."
Turning around, Quirrel found himself face-to-face with a massive steel plate, from which raindrops were still trickling down.
To his left, a massive armored claw clutched an equally massive travel bag, while its counterpart gave the city guards a brief salute.
Quirrel looked up, passed the pale steel royal emblem set into the gorget of the armor, and stopped at the enormous, unmistakable double-horned helmet of Mighty Hegemol, one of the Five Great Knights of Hallownest.
"L-Lord Hegemol! We weren't expecting you so soon!" stammered the captain of the guards, taking a few steps back.
"Is that a bad thing?" replied the latter in a grave tone.
"No, no, absolutely not! Um, since you're ensuring the safety of the King's envoys, we'll resume our patrol. Move out, everyone! At a walk, keep in line!"
The group of guards walked away amid the clatter of armor and the rustle of fabric, moving a little faster than was necessary for a patrol in a peaceful city.
"Very well."
The armored titan turned back to Quirrel and the coach.
"Coachbug, you can get back on your carriage; I'll follow you on foot. As for you, young apprentice of Monomon, I salute you for your courage." the Knight added, in a surprisingly soft voice.
"Go back up now, and reassure your mysterious companions who have been watching us ever since I got here. I'll accompany you to the Palace of our good King. I'm sure there are a lot of things that need to be discussed."