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He was a knight, a ghost, a vessel. Something to be filled, to protect from the infection. But he was a child too. He knew emotions. He felt them, yet they were distant from him by birth. His eyes seemed empty when you looked at him. He looked small. Feeble.
But he and their siblings was created for greater purpose. They harnessed greater strenght. Born in the abyss, from the void and of the Pale King and the White Lady, he was destined to save Hallownest from the plague of a forgotten god. A plague, shiny, wild, but that would take out your individuality. It was a plague that reached to your mind, and it was why the vessels was created. They were believed to be void of any dream or desire, empty of mind. Perfect children to contain the plague of light that scourged Hallownest. Many they were, children of the Pale Ones, transformed by the void and born of a egg shining of black. Cursed to an existence of sacrifice.
They were three to be born of this egg. Three children, alone in the dark, but not afraid. It was familiar. Feeling was far from them even then, but they were lost. Why had they come to be ? What was they suppposed to do ?
As the days passed, they dared to venture out farther and farther, determining that staying in one spot wouldn't be of much use. They didn't know hunger or thirst. They didn't know much, as a matter of fact. They were small, or at least it felt so in the immensity of the abyss that stood above them. A sky without ceiling. It seemed unnatural.
But soon they started to notice. Stones. Stones they could escalate. Jump into. Some of their… Kin, would escalate them, longing for something more beyond their home. A purpose. But all of them would fall. None of them would go beyond.
But yet, all three of them could see it, the light that shone bright at the top of the abyss sometime. A light bright, white, and cold. A cruel one, as it seemed to call to them more and more, and more and more would there be kins that answer the call. And finally, his two siblings - the egg bounds, decided to answer to the light, drawn to it like moth, and in their small collectiveness, he decided to follow the movement.
The climb was harduous and long. Painful. The eldest - no, the strongest of the three precedented the two of them, and he came last. Not that he was the worst or that his other sibling was better than him. He simply was the last one to start the climb.
As he climbed, thoughts and words came to them, showing them the purpose of their birth.
"No mind to think." But he long thought about the climb.
"No will to break." But it was their will that was bringing them higher and higher.
"No voice to cry suffering." But he never suffered.
"Born of God and Void."
And in the shadow, they accomplished what many had failed. The light became closer, and closer, and closer. A light white and pale, and cruel. He saw… He saw his sibling holding on for his life. He saw the strongest stop a moment, showing hesitation.
"You shall seal the blinding light that plague their dreams," said the pale and cruel light. "You are the Vessel, you are the Hollow Knight."
The pale light was cruel. He knew it would not take three of them but one, casting off the other two back in the darkness of the abyss, far, far below. Would they survive ? But the strongest, now named the Hollow Knight, had no mind to think, no will to break and no voice to cry suffering. He always wondered if the strongest suffered on that day. But all three of them probably did not. They were a blank canvas back then. Emotions was far from them yet. Faints.
So the Hollow Knight passed the door of the darkness, following the cold and cruel light, a being in which he had a sense of kinship too. Stronger than with the others. Similar but different than with his siblings… Father. Before the door closed, he heard a sentence, said in a trembling voice, as if the light was trying to resolve and reason itself, to feel better about what he was doing.
"No cost too great."
And a door closed, so violently that his last sibling, fell down.
He felt a kinship stronger than others with them. Others were his kin. He was his sibling. So he caught him. Something felt right about saving him and stopping him from falling. It felt right to save their sibling. They didn't fall too far - and not on any spikes. Both of them were alright. They didn't felt betrayed, but that was what had happened. But they weren't upset. They couldn't know what it was back then.
The cold, pale and cruel light never came back after that. They never saw it shine from the abyss of the ceiling. So they crawled back into their nest, and years and years passed, again and again, in silence. He could feel their sibling, even beyond the gate. Emotions. Afar. Strange. The link they had created in the egg was yet to be broken - he doubted anything ever could.
A light called to them to - to the bug part they had in them. A light, as blinding and cruel as the pale light. But the pale light, if cruel, did not intended to be evil. That new light wanted suffering - he heard the call, but he didn't answer.
The link to their sibling stretched thin, becoming thinner than ever, one day. It never came back to normal, and the evil light stopped calling for a while. But the link would not fade, at least for him. And thoughts and thoughts came through. Loneliness. Loneliness, sadness. Feeling of abandonment. The father's favourite child finally tasted of his curse of sacrifice. But he could not understand it yet, though it hurted, and Sibling's link to Hollow Knight seemed to have faded forever.
Sibling once left through a hidden passage in the abyss, leading up to a place odd, and that was dangerous. Sibling never came back, and he was alone. But he could feel Sibling still being alive, though their link stretched and stretched far beyond Hallownest. Memories became a blur for them, until he felt being forgotten by Sibling. They didn't even try to keep remembering him. Because feeling weren't for them. Sibling should have been Hollow Knight. But he remembered Sibling and Hollow Knight, and though the time they spent before was… Without emotion, the memories became… Fond, for the hesitant one.
But at last, he felt his strongest sibling's sadness and loneliness and suffering. The plague contained within them starting to crack their face and escape, and dream coming to people and scourging their mind, and the white light had failed. The cruel white light had failed and the plague started to escape again, but ever so slightly.
So he crawled through the corpses and skulls of his kins - and other bugs no doubt - through a tunnel made of them. Had Sibling crawled through that tunnel too ?
For the first time, he was scared. The place was dark, he could not see anyone but… Sibling ? Sibling was there.
But it was not sibling. The link was stretched and streched past Hallownest. This… Was something else.
And for the first time, he experienced the seeping terror one feel, when something is eerily similar to you, but is not you. He saw the corpse of their dead kin hanging in the lair of the beast. He took a nail to defend himself, but… He ran and ran, until the nightmare beast gave up. He was in a place dark, but a frightening dark, not like the one he was used to. Beasts jumped from the shadows and attacked and crawled, and corpses he took out came back to life.
As he wandered and ran, he came upon haven of peace, hidden deep. A sort of palace. There, he found a people called the weavers, and they were different from other bugs of Hallownest. From a distant land, they did come. And here, he met another being with whom he had a sense of kinship. She was young and ever so small. But she was proud and fierce - and she was event the one who taught her how to wield his nail. Sister. Hornet.
In the midst of Deepnest, were born his first emotions, and his mind, void, started to grow. The blank canvas started to show colors. He became very fond of the little one. But he didn't stay longer than he was welcomed, so he left, tilting his head and looking at her a while, letting her know he would be back, in silence. He's not sure she ever understood what he meant.
The place above though, was peaceful. For the first time, he knew wonder - though mantis traitors would attack them sometimes, it was calmer than Deepnest. The place was green and warm, free of the terrors that lurked in the dark. And he felt a familiar presence in it's light. Roots that had sunken themselves deep in the earth… A light he followed until the comfort of a cocoon.
There, he found a lady of a light pale and warm, kind and regretful.They recognized kinship in each other, and she spoke to him in a soft, soft, soothing voice, that appeased the turmoil in his forming mind. They were familiar, yet stranger to each other, but he ended up resting in the lap of who he recognized as… Mother.. She didn't push him away, calm, kind, regretful.
"You cannot accomplish why you were born anymore. So you shall be my child, much more than any other of your siblings. If I can give love to any one of your kind, it shall be you, as your purpose is lost, and if you try it death will await you."
After these words, he rested. He did not sleep, but laid there for a time he couldn't count, up until he felt better and ready to leave, as her voice, soft, told the tale of how he and his kind came to be, and why she and the pale king did that. But she told of the regret that ate at her. Maybe she wished her children was not cursed to sacrifice. Maybe she didn't think that no cost was too great. She felt shame in what she did, and though the young vessel found comfort with her, he did not absolved her of her sins. He thought that she should feel shame for what she did, till the end of her life came to be.
After resting with her for a long time, he decided to take his leave. He felt better. Less afraid, made stronger by the light of their mother. He exited the cocoon, telling her he would be back in his own silent way. But she seemed to understand. They needed not words to understand each other, for they had created a strong bond, and they loved each other, from mother to child, and child to mother.
Then, he followed the call of his strongest sibling. The one that first escaped from the darkness, the first that felt. He was lonely, all alone, sad. Just like the hesitant one was. He was drawn to Hollow Knight, and he made their way to the crossroad, making their way passing by greenpath, and finally arriving at crossroad.
Creature there were much less strong, so it was easy for the young vessel to make their way to the call of their sibling. There, the temple called to them, and he entered, finding a construct of familiar matter. An egg, black of void. His brother, born from an egg black, emprisonned into this construct was ironically sad.
There, the vessel found people praying in the temple, seemingly appreciating the calmness of the place. But fool they were, thought the vessel. To whoever were they praying, he knew not. But those prayers, in this specific spot, maybe made the sealed plague stronger. He could feel it.
They were quickly informed, by the menaces he displayed, to leave and never come back. There, the vessel stayed, keeping company to their sibling in the closest place he could be.
For the first time, he felt a deep, deep sadness. When he and his siblings were born, they were together. They lacked emotions, but together, he had a sense of purpose and of familiarity. They were not alone. And being alone, the vessel determined, was the worst thing in the world. And now he was, a seal separating him from one sibling, and distance and danger unknown separating him from the other.
After days, the young vessel resolved to leave. It was not good for him to stay there, as the plague was right behind that seal. It called and called to him, tempting him to take it in his mind. To prove his father of light he was worthy. Worthy of being his son.
He had a sense of foreboding, a feeling that it was his future to be full of… LIGHT. A gut feeling or… A future sight. He was, after all, a son of the Wyrm. But he dared not to try and see further. A deep sense of fear stopped him. It wouldn't be a good light that would fill his life, that he knew.
After leaving the temple of the black egg, he went up, thinking about finding Sibling once again. There, he found an old village, still inhabited by a few people. They welcomed him with warmth. After they understood the goal of the young vessel, he dissuaded him of doing such a thing. He would lose himself there. And it made sense, because Sibling did.
He left then, taking a road east before going in an elevator, where he discovered the crystal peaks. He discovered beauty there, as the pink crystal grew in number and beautifully. Miners worked and kept working here. It was a sad sight, too, but here the vessel was mostly at peace. He climbed up, up, and discovered there and ancient place - a place of worship, with a statue of an ancient being. A god. Goddess. Radiating. Burning. Bright. A light. Dreams. The infection.
He felt it grow, down, the infection. But not there. Deep underground, it had found it's way, and it wanted to spread. It called to him, it burned. But it wasn't supposed to spread. And he was there to protect. Protect he should. He did not think himself the savior of Hallownest. It was not his future. He simply knew it. But he had to try, if only for Mother and Hornet.
So he journeyed down, falling in a ravine that brought him in the resting grounds. The place was peaceful, as expected. He didn't linger here much, as he didn't felt like he had much to accomplish here. After walking a little bit, he found there an elevator that took him down, far below in the great capital city. It was not yet named the city of tears, as the lake above didn't yet started to cry. There were there still insects, the city was full of life.
But there he discovered disgust, disdain, as new emotions. The rich bugs of Hallownest were lazy, unable to defend themselves or hunt for food, and they kept everything for themselves. Was it the kingdom the pale light, his father, desired and built ? Did he wanted to- did he wanted to have a kingdom with such subjects ?
He also saw some insects, still infected with the plague. Their soul lost in a dream, their body dazing. The wyrm had failed and disappeared down under the city, people said. No one was left to help them.
But the young vessel observed the sick, realisation dawning on him. It was time for him to start accomplish what he forebode. What he feared. But he was born for that, though he was now much different than what he was down in the Abyss. Now he had feeling. He had formed a mind and he was complete. And he felt empathy and pity. Though he wasn't hollow anymore, he still had the power… He was still drawn to the infection, and he knew he could resist it. That was what he was born for.
As he raised his hand, he thought of Mother and of her tender embrace, of the comfort of her presence and of her light. He realized then that he would never see her again, as, like she said, his newly formed mind would be lost to the infection, and he would die. His curse of sacrifice had caught up with him. It hurt him, deeply, even though he knew he was doing the right thing, and was doing it gladly. He just wished he would have lingered longer in the comfort of her light, and it hurt him. But in the end, he had no voice to cry out suffering.
He beckoned the infection, called it to him, took it in. It was a few patients, as the plague was seeping ever so slightly. His mind would survive. He was created for this, and he would gladly accomplish this duty, if to protect a few bugs, and give them a chance at the future. To protect Hornet, to protect Mother.
He loved them.
Hallownest's future was uncertain, he felt it. But it was not something he would peek into, he decided. Because it could lead to a situation similar to what the cruel light had created. Him, and his kin. He would not have that. Up until he met his own end, he would not intervene in the future playing out. Just for one advice.
After saving a few bugs, a burning light now in him, the young vessel stayed a long while in the city, where he was called "Healer". Was it his name now ? He did not know, but he liked to help. It made him feel better. It was years before he left, and he saved hundred of bugs from the death and fear the infection caused. People thought he was a miracle worker, but the healing took a toll on him - though lesser than it did on other bugs.
Sometimes, desperate people arrived, asked him to come to their village - to help and heal people. And without hesitation, he did. People needed to be helped and healed. They needed not their dreams infected. But he always came back to the capital city.
There, he grew up, had an almost normal life, punctuated with healings and travels to heal others. But he dreamt sometimes, wide awake, that he could live without thinking about the plague. But it was in his nature.
There was an orphan there, and he helped her, fed her. They were not related, but the kinship grew in their heart. She already had a name, but in his heart he called her Daughter. A child all his own, one with whom he could heal himself, by doing the exact opposite of his creator. When she had nightmare, he comforted her. When she was alone in the dark, he was there with her, lighting up the way. He trained her, taught her to defend herself, and she understood him better than anyone ever did. Between them, a mental link was created, similar but different to the one he had with Sibling and Hollow. With them, he could have entire conversation, but with her, they could only get their feeling, and sometimes overwhelm one another with one of those feeling - when one was sad, for example, the other would burn them with their joy and love.
But he could feel the call of the plague, in the deep. He knew he would have to leave her, but if he could only have a lttle more time… Oh how he would take it. Sadly, he didn't, so one day he bid her goodbye, silently. She was the first one he didn't tell he would see her again. She cried, but she understood, somehow. Their bond was unbreakable.
Finally, he traveled further down. The place he found himself in next, was familiar. He was close to home, from his birthplace, his egg. But it was not his destination. He would not go back there, though his being longed to.
In the ancient basin, something else called to him, to the other side of where the infection was. A link of kinship. And curiosity drove him to follow this call. He knew who he would meet there, but he had no voice to tell him how much he despised him. Soon, he found himsel in front of the white palace, still there. But he knew it would not be for long. He watched, before he dared to enter. The plaguing light would not be a danger there. His face had yet to crack.
As he entered, he felt a great wave of melancholy and sadness. He knew it was not his, but his sibling far above, sealed away and lonely. He would not visit him ever again too. But they had their link, and Hollow Knight seemed to have taken conscience of it. And he knew where he was.
He could see some bugs here and there, but most importantly, he discovered a new emotion we could only call "what in the actual fuck". Why ? Well why was there so many spike and chainsaw, why were they- Oh wait, was that a vision of the future ? Strange. There was not any of these yet. Maybe the closeness to his father made their common ability resonate.
After this little moment of dizziness, the vessel kept walking. He needed not indication. It was as if he knew the path already, a path that lead him to the throneroom. There, he saw it again. The pale, white, bright and cruel light, sitting on it's throne at the top of it's palace. They looked at each other in silence, before the white light spoke first.
"My child, what you attempt is foolish."
The vessel desired to answer, he wanted to find his voice and to tell him that he knew what awaited him, for Mother warned him when he was resting in her light. He tilted his head to the right, looking at him in silence.
"It will break her heart." he said in a soft voice, as if he understood what he meant to say.
He was speaking of mother. The young vessel crossed his arms. It was they, who made him for that purpose, and though he deviated from what he was, he would do his best to accomplish it. He loved Mother deeply, but if she didn't wanted her heart to break, maybe he shouldn't have been created for a purpose he was now accomplishing.
"My child, you have grown a mind. There must be something else you can do."
The vessel displayed annoyance. He was the offspring of the wyrm… But he was not his child. He was only Mother's child.
"I only wish for you another future. You are something else entirely now, surely there must be another vessel that can take in what you have taken."
The wyrm did not understand. He did not understand that only he could do that, because he had sealed the entrance, and because he did not wanted to inflict that on any of them. He did not wanted them to know the curse of sacrifice. He was the last that could take in the festering light, the plague that had spread. But even so, even if he was not, he would do it anyway, for he now knew love. He was doing it for Mother, for Hornet, for Daughter and for the wonders of Hallownest.
"Hallownest is doomed, child. There are no heroes in Hallownest."
And no cost were too great. The vessel didn't deem itself a hero. He did not think he would be the one to save Hallownest. But the king was mistaken. It was Hallownest's grandeur that was doomed. It was the wyrm's kingdom that was doomed, not the people. But the wyrm was too blinded by it's own light to aknowledge that.
The pale king watched at his child. Determination was emanating from him. He knew what was awaiting him. He did not expect a vessel to share this ability to foresee things like he did. But what they saw was different. The child saw further than him, if only a little - or he saw things differently, maybe.
"No cost too great… I see I cannot stop you, child. Then I shall offer you a tool to aid you. One I have made to stop the infection from spreading, my gift to you. It will produce a wind that will draw the plague, and you can either absorb it, or the wind will keep the scourge at bay for as long as it works. Follow me."
The Pale King descended from his throne, and lead the vessel to a workshop. It seemed that it was here the cruel light had created the guards he'd seen outside. The young vessel stopped to look at the containers of void - the wyrm was an ingenious one, truly. It's a shame he put this ingeniosity into desperatly trying to save something that could not be saved. Creating beings to sacrifice them. To throw them back in the abyss, once the first one made the ascension, to cast them and seal them. To condemn them to loneliness.
"I still remember that day."
Was the wyrm still rumaging in his thoughts ? He didn't like that.
"I… I remember seeing you and your brother, holding on."
But no cost were too great.
"Yes."
The voice of the Pale King trembled, when he answered. The vessel did not know how the cruel light knew what he was thinking, but it was convenient.
In the end, the Wyrm found what he had come to get. An instrument, in which resided the power who could help keep the infection at bay. His father put it in his hand, and he could feel it's power.
And for a moment, he feared it. Every inch of his being desired to destroy the item, TO BURN IT. BURN IT ! BURN !
Maybe, maybe - maybe Hallownest deserved the plague, for forgetting. These bugs, lazy, greedy, deserved all to die. This thing should not exist - he should break it. Nothing matter but the spreading of the plague, until at last, every being of Hallownest is contaminated - until the plague unite them. Yes, unity would be better. No more caste. No more rich or poor, no more… Love.
No more finding comfort in the arms of one's mother, or spending time with a sister. No more longing and missing for two twin siblings. No more consoling a daughter from her nightmares. No more resolve in one's heart to protect. No more beauty and darkness, of joy and sadness, no more fear and wonder, only one being, in control of everything, of every dreams.
No. Unity wasn't better, and he knew that reasoning came not of his own mind, but of the infection burning it. He had to leave. He raised his head to look at the Wyrm who fathered him, the light he tried to reach once. There was a time where he longed to prove he was worthy to be his child. But seeing the kingdom he built and what he did do he and his kind, after thinking about it for a long while, it did not matter anymore.
"You are brave, and strong. You cannot be a hollow knight, but know that I-"
The vessel left. The words of his creator did not matter to him, and it never will again. He only hoped shame and regret would pursue him, up until he died, alone, on his throne.
After exiting the palace, his resolve was stronger than ever. The plague burned his mind, but he decided that for as long as he would stand, it shall be kept at bay. So, he made his way toward the edge of the Ancient Basin, the place familiar, comforting even.
He arrived to a place that seemed good enough for him, to the far edge of the region. It was a deep cavern, and he felt almost at home there - though it wasn't. From the void that was seeping from the abyss, he built a bigger representation of the wings - the monarch wings. He also built a room a little higher, to keep the item safe from himself. As he knew that when the plague would be with him, the wings wouldn't be safe. He then put the artefact in the statue, and willed for it's power to active
Wind rose, and it is said it went through all of Hallownest, for a while. It freed most of the sicks, and drew the infection back to where the young vessel was standing. The moment had come. Yes.
For Mother and Sister, for Sibling and Hollow Knight. For Hallownest. He loved them all deeply. He wished to tell them. But he had no voice to cry suffering, and no voice to express love, joy, anger or fear. Though he had a mind to think, his will would not be broken.
As long as he stood, the plague would be kept at bay.
So he absorbed it. The burn, the plague, created by a forgotten god, as it was his curse to sacrifice himself. He thoughts of his travel. The people he met - mostly family. But some other bugs too. All of this… It taught him much. He learned his life had value, and that living was beautiful. He learned to love and despise, to fight and heal. In the end, no one would remember him, but he did not mind. It was not for glory, but for them he did that. It was not because of his purpose, but because of the beauty of the world he knew, and of the people he met. Mother. Sister. Sibling. Hollow Knight. Daughter.
They were worth every sacrifice.
They were worse cursing his mind to sufffer.
Every suffering.
Every pain.
They were worth his death.
He loved them.
And for them, as long as he stood, the plague would be kept at bay.
He absorbed it all. The burning light, the plague of the body and mind. He could resist it. Just enough, just enough. He left the place, wind blowing from the monarch wings. He was desperate, to keep control only for a few minutes of ascending.
He climbed, his every moves painful, his mind resisting to the plague. His face cracking, more and more. Tears fell. But if he didn't make it to his prison, this would all have been for nothing. He wanted to give up, oh he so desired to. But he couldn't.
But he almost did. He was a few meters away from the room, when he fully fell to his knee, then on his belly. He looked, his hand reaching. Did it even matter. He could feel his skull crack more and more and more. It was paintful to resist.
But a newfound strenght came through. His sibling. Hollow Knight, he had felt the pain. He knew that death awaited his brother soon. But he knew why. So he cheered. He cheered, loud, his voice stronger than the plague's. And his despair was overwhelmed by other feelings. Love and hope. His daughter had felt his state of mind, and she helped, she helped greatly.
The vessel stood up painfully, as if gravity had augmented. He could feel that the plague was too much to contain in himself. He could give- he would not give in. He leaned against the wall, as he walked. And after a few step, at last, he was in the room. The spell he had created activated, closing the door leading to the wings.
And once he was done, he did one of the most painful thing he ever had to do : he utterly destroyed the link he had with his daughter. For he knew not what could happen to it, once the Radiance would be in his mind. Hollow was already contaminated. She was not. And she needed protecting. He sent her all his love, before he did. So she would not be sad. Not for long at least.
His skull broke. A whole part of his skull broke, as the plague overflowed from it. It was alright. The wind would trap them in a certain area. But it would not be able to go back to Hallownest as long as he was there. As long as the winds of the wing trapped it there.
So he finally let go. He fell face onto the ground, his mind being envelopped by the warm, warm, light.
Sometimes, some of his kind would find their way to him. But he could not help them anymore. He could only scream, and kill them. Free them of that existence, send them back in the abyss where they were born. Sometimes, it was other bugs. He could see it play out, but he could not do anything anymore. It pained him, greatly, to be a prisonner in his own body.
He was alone, and he could not be helped. He could never know freedom anymore. By the rare who survived him, he was named "Broken Vessel". At last he had a name, but it was to show how much of a failure he was, how much he was inefficient. Glimpse of the plague still existed, everywhere.
The plague corrupted his mind, he knew it. And though she had control over his body, for the longest time, he kept her out of his mind. He tried, he tried so hard. But in the end, he was not enough. He was not strong enough to resist it. Unlike Hollow Knight, who even though hosted most of the infection in his mind, was able to keep conscious. To keep thinking. Their consciousness were still linked. His sibling helped, giving him some of his strenght, and love. They were all they had for each other during that time. But Broken Vessel was not enough. His heart weakened and weeped at the struggle. He was not… He was not enough.
So he gave in. His mind gave in to the whispering dreams, and he felt so, so much better. During the time he resisted, even with the presence of his brother in his mind, he sometimes felt lonely. He longed for contact, for a hug. And it was in these moments that the plague was harder to resist. So, he decided to keep being the failure he always was. And suddenly, he wasn't alone anymore. He could feel all the minds of those who were infected. He had a link to them an their mind. At last, he was free of his loneliness, as his mind slowly entered in symbiose with the dreams.
But he didn't heard the voice of Hollow Knight. Never did he felt the cheer of his beloved sibling, when he gave in. Never did he felt as ok as he did when Hollow Knight told him he would be. Sometime, he felt like that sacrifice wasn't worth it. Sometimes, he would fight the Radiance out of his mind for a while, because of it. Sometimes, he would hear the mind of his sibling again. But not for long, as the dreams kept whispering to him. He was worthless. He couldn't fight it. All of that to hear the voice of one being ? When with her, they were many ? Slowly, he was even more corrupted by the whispers. And he stopped fighting.
"Hollow, I'm sorry. I can't resist her anymore."
They always could talk by thoughts. But when they were children, they didn't needed to. Nor was it useful. They had no mind to think.
"Brother, you must resist, so one day you can be free of her." answered Hollow Knight.
"There is no being free of her, brother. There is no hope."
"It is what she is whispering to you ! Do not listen, I beg you !"
"She's always with me, with us. It's hard to keep her out. Too hard. I'm so tired Hollow."
"Do you not think I am ? I was betrayed by our father and-"
"You betrayed us too. But I couldn't understand what it was, nor care. Now I do."
"Brother. You know I could not either."
"I do. But I'm tired. Let me be. Let me fall."
"You're asking too much of me. You're the only being I can talk to - the only one who can ever hear my own, true voice. You're my brother. Please don't give in, please. It's so dark here, and so, so empty. Silent. I will go crazy without your voice."
"But I am already going crazy with her whispers. My mind is getting weaker and weaker."
"You will rebuild them, then. Like every time. You will talk to me once again."
"No. I'm done fighting it, Hollow. I feel so much… Better, when she's with me. And less lonely. There are many voices."
"And they're all afraid. Afraid to fall asleep and dream. Please, Broken. My brother. Find the strenght to go on another day."
"I don't have it. Goodbye, Hollow. Thank you for trying."
"No. Please don't."
"Uh… Hollow. Don't worry, one day- One day… Sibling will free us."
"I don't care ! I don't want to be alone again ! It's the worse thing in this world !"
"I'm… I'm sorry Hollow. I tried. But I was not enough. I should have been more like you."
"You ARE enough ! You resisted so long, so, so long… I see there's no getting you back, is there ?"
"No. I can't..."
"I will… I will keep holding on hope. But know… Know you were enough, brother. You always were. Keep that… Keep that thought safe, in your mind. Keep us in your heart."
"I will… And I… Miss you."
And right there and then, Broken Vessel gave up forever, hearing only his brother. He was crying out suffering. As was the young vessel. But soon, it ended. He gave most of himself in. But in his heart, he kept Hollow, Sibling, Sister, Mother and Daughter in his heart. It was a part of his mind, safe, and for the most part, the plague could not take it away from him.
But never again did he heard Hollow Knight, and the voice only he could hear. The only one able to hear him cry out suffering was gone. Years passed. He wasn't alone anymore. He didn't miss his siblings anymore, for he had hundreds of insects linked to him now.
His memories of them became a blur - though he knew there was people he loved, their face disappeared behind a fog. If the Radiance could not reach that part of his mind, where he kept them safe, she did everything she could to not let him reach for it - to not let him fight her plague again.
One day, a being - familiar - came into his room, his prison if anything. He looked at the small person before him. The Radiance took possession of Broken Vessel, and he let her. He screamed in rage and pain and sadness. Why was he sad, seeing this person - this vessel - before him ? He didn't felt as sad when he took the life of his kins. But this… Ghost, he didn't wanted to hurt him. Why ? Why ?
The fight was long, tedious. Their nail met, and he threw bunch of infections toward the being. The… His… Who ? WHO !
He screamed again - in pain. The empty eyes of this being… Were unsettling… Empty… Ho… Hollow ? This name was familiar, yet shrouded. And painful, painful. Sadness. He felt… Sad… Why ? And lonely - NO ! He wasn't alone. He had the hive mind. But maybe… He still could feel lonely, despite that, for he wasn't among being he knew. And that being, facing him… He knew him. He was certain.
As the last strike fell upon him, memories came flushing in suddenly, as if a dam broke in his mind. As if a seal he had put to protect his loved ones broke. Hollow Knight. Sibling. Sister. Mother. Daughter. All of them, as he felt the Radiance leave him ever so brutally, were remembered.
He raised his hand, his eyes staring at the face of Sibling. He tried to reach for them, the being that was born of the same egg as he, down, far in the abyss. His Sibling who left long ago - but he always knew he'd come back. And as time went on, it became clearer why, as his future was taking shape in his mind.
He knew he was not quite free. But he knew that the coming of Sibling meant that he would be, soon. The link he had with Sibling reformed, for a few seconds.
"You came back."
"..."
"It called to you."
"..."
"Thank you."
"... Your welcome. Brother."
Broken knew it was not the last time he was seeing them. But something broke in him, hearing Silbing aknowledge him as he was. But the last of his energy was taken away, and his head soon fell on the ground, lifeless in this plane of reality, his hand unable to reach for his Sibling.
But he was not quite free, he foresaw it. And the dream world he was kept prisonner in was lonely, more than anything. The radiance was still there, but the hive mind was not. It was as if the plague was punishing him for resisting again. And his link toward Hollow didn't work anymore, though he felt them for a second.
The time here stretched, each second painfully long. But he resisted, he resisted the Radiance. He knew it wasn't the time yet to let her take control of his body. This would come when…
Sibling was here again, in the dream world. He could feel him and… And the radiance overwhelmed him, taking full control of his body, leaving him unable to control himself. But he didn't try to resist her, as he knew what would happen. Here in the dream world, if SIbling failed, he could try again and again without any danger to himself.
And that he did - he was relentless, coming again and again, fighting him. At least, Broken got to see a face he had long forgotten. He was glad. Though he knew the end of this fight would mean his end, it would also mean the saving of his beloved Hallownest. A new king had come, and he would claim back the kingdom from the plague.
And finally, the last blow was struck. The radiance left his mind, left him to die. But he was still glad, as he felt his spirit being brought back to the physical world. His spirit above his body, he watched at Sibling. His beloved Sibling. He… He needed to give him some advice, before he left.
"Sibling."
"..."
"Do not listen to those who seek."
"..."
"Do you desire to save Hallownest ?"
"It is our curse."
"And it will bring you to your end, if you so wish to save this place."
"..."
"Your future is uncertain, but the fate of Hallownest lie in your hands, my beloved sibling. I wished the perfect fate existed for you, but it does not."
"... Tragedy."
Broken felt resolve in Sibling's heart, as his mind spoke this word. But he did not feared, for the pale and cruel light was ever so wrong. It was not an empty shell who would bring about the end of the radiance, but a being whose sibling were wronged deeply by the radiance and her consequences.
"Yes, tragedy. But we will be free."
"..."
"I love you, Sibling."
"I know."
Broken wasn't saddened by the absence of what people would deem a correct answer. He felt a wave of fondness go through him, which was Sibling communicating in another way.
"Goodbye Sibling."
"Goodbye Brother."
And with that, he found himself freed - freed of the light of the radiance. Was it the end ? He didn't know - there were gods, most certainly was there one who took care of the deads. As his spirit was leaving, he felt he was being pulled down - if temporarily - by the familiar mind of Hollow.
"You're free. Why ? Why are you first, WHY !"
"Yes… I'm sorry, Hollow. It's… Unfair. But it feels like… She got to you didn't she ?"
"She did… It's… Pain..."
"Fear not, Hollow, for you shall soon be free of this pain and this world."
"I'll be… Waiting… For our curse to end…"
"And I will be waiting for you two."
As the last remnants of his soul left the waking and living world, Broken felt at peace. In his life, he was a knight, a son, a brother, a father, a being that, in the end, was filled of hope and dreams, of desire, of will. He was sure of it now, the sacrifice he did wasn't the base instinct of his conception. No, it was out of his own will, out of love he kept the infection at bay for so long. Despite what the radiance made him think for a while, he never had actually failed.
Because what he did, he did it because he was kind. And though he thought he was being forgotten, there are still tale of a great healer, that resonate in Hallownest, there are paintings hidden away in secret caves, and people who still remembered him fondly and dearly, though they never knew who he was. Some people he helped still lived, and talked of him to their children, or are lost beyond the wasteland. Though one day, Hallownest will call them back to their homeland, and the dead kingdom will be reborn out of its ashes.
And though tragedy struck all three of the sibling, it was their combined effort and sacrifices that destroyed the radiance forever, leaving Hallownest at peace, and saved, and safe. And the three of them were safe, and together, somewhere beyond the mortal plane. And they were happy and glad of what they did.
They were free.