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The feral vessel is in the garden practicing different signs when they sense Hollow. They look up from where they had been documenting which of their signs meant what and feel nothing strange upon sensing their presence. It isn’t until Hollow comes into view that Ghost feels anything amiss.
Hollow steps around the flowering shrubbery along the cobbled path to the courtyard, carrying a sword in each hand. One is their usual large pale sword, intricate designs carved with precision, made to perfectly fit them and their size. The other is not nearly as elegant- only half the length, standard, and perhaps slightly better material; a sword meant for an elite warrior rather than standard soldier.
Before Ghost can even ponder where Hollow obtained the sword, and had started to sign the question, Hollow is thrusting out the extra sword towards them. Message immediately clear.
Fight me.
Fighting Hollow had not been on their list of things to do today, but they figure they can accept the Hollow Knight’s offer, emboldened by their brave show of individuality. The courtyard offers enough space for a good duel, and as long as they don’t destroy the surrounding shrubbery, no one should object to their fight.
With the tingle of excitement, they get up and take the sword. While not made for them, finally having a sword in their hands feels nice. Better than their stick anyday.
No sooner had Ghost tested their grip had the Hollow Knight crouched with sword at the ready. Ghost barely has time to adjust their stance before Hollow lunges forward and swings their sword. Ghost is only able to parry by guiding Hollow’s blade upward with their own.
Ghost quickly goes onto the offensive, using their swords lesser weight to return faster than Hollow can, and goes to give a good slap to Hollows side to weaken them. Hollow jumps back to evade the strike before going in for another swing, this time with more force. Ghost, knowing their smaller stature will not win against Hollows strength, quickly maneuvers to miss Hollow’s blade.
Ghost feels the blade whistle past them, currents tickling their eyes as the air is pierced by the blade.
As soon as the blade passed Ghost goes in for the win, using the time it would take Hollow’s giant blade to make its way back to go in for the kill. Blade ending at the skin of Hollow’s throat.
Ghost cannot help but smirk in triumph from behind Hollow.
Ghost feels Hollow’s body go rigid, frozen in their stance. However, something flashes in the corner of Ghost’s eyes and that is all the warning the feral vessel gets before ducking away to narrowly avoid the soul daggers aimed at their back. The soul daggers dig into the ground and disappear, leaving cracked notches in the stone pathway.
Ghost feels anger briefly course through them, seeing as how they thought this was a sword duel. However, they are hardly one to complain. There was no need to stand on the traditions the pale king calls acceptable for a sword duel.
With the knowledge that soul attacks were on the table now, Ghost sends a punch of soul towards Hollow, which Hollow side steps to avoid, then sends a wave of soul daggers back towards Ghost. Ghost jumps into the air and swipes at one of the daggers, pogoing off towards the Hollow knight, and fling their sword in an arc above Hollow.
Hollow quickly teleports away and lets loose a whip of void which Ghost tries to avoid, but gets nicked in the side. It stings where the void lashed on their skin, but they ignore it and get back into a defensive stance.
Alert, Ghost watches for Hollow to make a move, and when they don’t, Ghost takes the chance to go on the offensive and send another burst of soul towards Hollow. The attack hits with pin point accuracy straight in Hollow’s chest. The power behind the soul attack causes Hollow to slide a few feet backwards.
Hollow looks stunned for a moment, before gripping their sword tightly and teleporting above Ghost and thrusts downwards. Ghost leaps out the way and has to avoid Hollows follow up thrust by dashing through Hollow as soon as their foot hit the ground. Turning into intangible void for brief seconds as they phase through Hollow and their attack. Turning back around, they plan to hit Hollow again when they see a tell-tale sign of glowing from the Hollow Knight. Knowing what this means, they immediately dash backwards to avoid the explosion of soul around Hollow. Careful to avoid the lingering explosions, they dash back forwards to slap Hollow with their sword during the cooldown they know this spell has.
They don’t expect Hollow to physically grab their blade, causing liquid void to glisten down its length.
It is at this point Ghost starts to worry about Hollow’s intentions behind this fight.
Hollow forces the feral vessel’s blade away and follows up with a broad swing. Ghost feels the wind from the motion just millimeters from their face, followed quickly by swing after swing. Each a strong and powerful stroke, but slowly becoming more and more predictable.
Careless.
Ghost notices they are being backed up onto one of the moss covered walls surrounding the garden and looks for an opening in the swings. When they spot it, they quickly swing in tandem with the offending blade and throw it off course and away. Hollow’s large sword clinking along the ground as it comes to a halt several feet away. Instead of aiming for what should have been the end the first time they did it, they swing themselves onto their siblings back and forced Hollows head upwards, hoping to unbalance him.
The sudden change in scenery caused Hollow to stagger, and with the sudden weight behind, gave enough force to make Hollow fall backwards. Ghost quickly swings back around and thrusts Hollow’s chest to the ground. They follow by digging their blade into the ground just inches away from Hollows neck.
They stare at Hollow. Hard.
When Hollow got over whatever dazed state they should have been in from the sudden vertigo, and noticed Ghosts stare, they looked away. When Hollow ceases to desist, does Ghost finally relax. Knowing Hollow has conceded the fight.
“Well done, my child.” A whispery voice descends upon them from behind Hollow. Ghost looks up and sees the White Lady descending into the courtyard from one of the paths that lead to higher ground.
Ghost, with incriminating evidence of a sword still in hand, quickly drops it and backs off of the Hollow Knight. Quickly signing hello to get the Lady’s eyes off of the sight in front of them.
“Quite the accomplishment, defeating the Hollow Knight. An impressive battle.” She says as she floats into the garden, Dryya following stiffly behind her. They could feel Dryya’s eyes on them like a hawk.
Hollow, on the other hand, was quick to stand and give the White Lady a bow in greeting.
The White Lady simply moves past Hollow and comes to a stop in front of the feral vessel, “I am sure my Wyrm will be quite impressed by the results. Such a talented child for your age.” She praises.
Ghost cannot help but feel embarrassed by such kind words, but signs back, ‘Watch, all?’
“I know of the events, yes. I could feel it through the plants.” She gestures towards the damage they had inflicted to the courtyard and surrounding plant life.
Ghost, who really cares less about the plants, still signs a ‘sorry’ for her.
“Surely, with all the other damage you have inflicted upon my Wyrm’s palace, you cannot claim differently here. I will pardon it this once, but please do try to keep your tendencies away from my garden from now on? I have duties to attend, but I just wanted to stop by to see what was going on. I will see you later, yes?”
At their signed affirmative she gently floats away from her garden down a different path from which she came, garden repairing itself as she goes by. Ghost takes a look towards Hollow, only to find their head bowed and fists tightly clenched. As soon as the Lady is completely gone, Hollow collapsing onto the ground with the thump startles Ghost from their thoughts.
Black tears start to cascade their way down Hollow’s face.
Ghost approaches slowly, not really knowing how to take this sudden change in Hollow’s demeanor. However, once they get close Hollow only pushes Ghost away before turning away from them. Desperately scrubbing the tears away from their face. Leaving black stains to mark Hollow’s face.
Ghost wasn’t about to let Hollow push them away and quickly marched over and grabbed their face, forcing them to look at Ghost.
“Wrong, what?” They sign, taking one hand away to finger sign.
Hollow stares at them for a moment, before carefully signing back, “White Lady. Hollow. Hello. No.” Their sign is basic, most likely learned from watching Ghost, but Ghost understands it nonetheless.
They hadn’t really been focusing, but they do remember how the White Lady had walked right past Hollow to give Ghost all the attention. Ghost hadn’t thought anything was strange at the time, they having very little knowledge of social customs, but did find it weird that the White Lady had completely ignored Hollow. They tried to think if they had ever noticed the White Lady give the Hollow Knight any attention, and couldn’t think of any examples, and how how she had talked about Hollow in the future-
She had called them Vessel. It. Tarnished by an idea instilled. Considered a blemish.
Perhaps her feelings affected even before their duty was to be fulfilled. Knowing how a simple touch from the King affected them, having to watch as their mother ignored and went on to praise and give love to their sibling…
What a horrible sibling they have been. What little attention they could have gotten, stolen away by their presence.
Wanting to fix this mistake of theirs, they quickly pull Hollow into a hug in apology, before taking their hand and forcing Hollow to their feet. It only takes mere seconds for Hollow to find balance due to their training, and Ghost runs off with Hollow in tow.
They can feel Hollow tugging, trying to get their hand free of Ghost, but Ghost will not fail here. They run down the hall that the White Lady had gone towards, and upon finding her and startling Dryya, they use their momentum to thrust Hollow in front of her. Hollow almost collapsing into her by the sudden loss of momentum. Hands, attempting to find balance, grab onto the White Lady’s robes.
The Hollow Knight lets go just as quickly as if burned. Returning them to their sides.
The White Lady, predictably, looks to the feral vessel for answers, “What is it, my child?”
Ghost pointedly signs, ‘Hug. Hollow.” They circle their arms, finger points touching followed by a single hand with three bent fingers.
The White Lady looks hesitant before looking down at their sibling. Her eyes widen at the sight of black streaks down their face, evidence of tears.
At her hesitation to move, Dryya speaks from her side, “Surely, you do not have to follow the whims of that feral creature, my lady. It is no more than the same thing as this one in front of you.”
Dryya’s words caused the White Lady to freeze. She seemed to think over Dryya’s words.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of silence, with Hollow looking resigned just in front of her, she whispers “Dryya, vow that what I am about to do will stay here?”
Dryya looks taken aback, but immediately takes to a knee and swears, “Anything for you, my lady.”
With that, the White Lady bends down and carefully wraps her arms around the vessel in front of her. Catching said vessel off guard.
She feels their shaking and when she feels a cold wetness at her front she replies, “I am sorry. There is so little I can do for you.”
Ghost can only hope this is a step in the right direction.