Chapter Text
Small clouds of Uomas were lazily drifting in the morning breeze blowing down from the warm caves of the Greenpath, swirling passively around the acid bubbles that rose from the corrosive lake at the bottom of the large cavern that was the Fog Canyon.
Sometime, one or two were pushed by the gentle wind and bumped into the window in front of which Quirrel was sitting, making him chuckle softly as the simple creatures tried to figure out where this unexpected obstacle had come from.
He had been up for quite some time already; while the other students in the Kingdom's Archives had barely begun to drag their shell still heavy with sleep to their study areas, he had already compiled several works on botany, an assignment that had been given to him personally by the Teacher herself.
At the time, he was quite proud to have been selected for the honor of working directly under the wise Monomon.
But now, after several sleepless nights sorting through and transcribing books on plants he was almost certain didn’t exist anywhere in the kingdom, his hands ached more than anything else.
He was convinced that he would dream of leaves and stems for the rest of his life.
The blue bug cautiously placed his quill and small bottle of ink back in his satchel, having finished transcribing the latest manuscript of a highly prolific—if somewhat unhinged—author, then stood up and stretched.
He looked at the stack of papers, which was covered of his neat, tidy handwriting—so highly regarded by his other teachers (undoubtedly the deciding factor that had earned him this assignment).
...it would take several trips back and forth to carry everything to the Teacher’s office.
Before tackling this monumental task, he deserved a little break. After all, it wasn't as if anyone was going to try to steal his work, Quirrel thought with a tired smile.
He had barely taken two steps when he heard the door of Monomon’s office swung open, and the Teacher leaped into the void separating her from the floors below.
She swiveled her mask in every direction as she scanned each floor, floating slowly through the air, clearly searching for something or someone; responding to the greetings of the teachers and students with only a quick nod of the head, which was out of character for her.
As soon as she saw him, she hurried over to him, a serious and hasty impression radiating from her body.
"Good morning, Apprentice Quirrel. May I have some of your time?" she tensely declared, settling down beside him, an emotion blending impatience and excitement coming through in her voice.
"Good morning, Madam." hesitantly responded the bug. "…does this have anything to do with copying those botany books? I had just finished that and was about to bring the results to your office—"
"What? No, forget about those, somebody else will take care of that." she responded a bit abruptly. "Follow me to my office, Quirrel."
"Of course, Madam, let me lead th—"
As soon as he nodded, Monomon had grabbed him in her tentacles and took off toward her office, a silent scream escaping the poor apprentice’s mouth as they flew over the dangerous lake of acid below.
She practically shoved him into a chair and slammed the door shut.
Monomon hastily hovered over her desk, and began picking up various items: parchment, quills, and other objects that Quirrel didn't have time to identify.
For a moment, the only sound in the room was the soft rustling of paper and the fabric of Monomon’s outfit.
"Hum, Madam, what is—"
She jumped at the sound, and came face to face with the bug she had completely forgotten in her rush.
"Apprentice Quirrel, I am asking you to accompany me on my next outing. I have received an official invitation to the Palace, and I need an assistant who can write quickly and well—and who has the very useful ability to get by on very little sleep."
"An invitation to the White Palace?" Quirrel exclaimed in a surprised tone, not catching the last statement of the Teacher.
"Yes. A truly unique opportunity has presented itself to us, apprentice : two new Gods have appeared in our kingdom!"
"…and this summarizes everything the missive had to say." concluded Monomon to a bewildered Quirrel.
"…I think I'm going to pack my things." he finally declared.
"You may, apprentice. Don't forget, this is a private matter; we are expected to exercise the utmost discretion. Also, if you could notify the quartermaster's office to have my transportation arranged, it will be greatly appreciated."
"Right away, Madam!" replied the blue bug, who was already heading toward the door.
As Quirrel left her office, Monomon pulled out from under her robe the invitation she had received that very morning from a royal courier, before the nightlights had even been blown out.
Even for someone of her stature as chief researcher, to be the recipient of a royal missive was a rare occurrence, and for many nobles and courtiers, simply receiving the pale-colored scroll bearing the monarch's seal was the achievement of a lifetime.
She carefully unrolled the thin parchment with her tentacles to admire a detail that made this letter truly special : at the bottom of the page, there was no King’s brand; instead, a delicate interlacing of lines formed a much rarer seal—that of the Queen.
It was this small calligraphic detail that made Monomon so intrigued and excited. Even though the Queen was more approachable than her royal husband, outside of her official duties she was even more reserved than the Pale King.
It almost made the Teacher forget the main point of the letter : she was invited to the Palace with the utmost discretion to offer her expertise on a phenomenon that had never been observed before.
And what a phenomenon!
The arrival of two Gods!
Just thinking about it, Monomon couldn't contain her excitement and let out a little laugh that echoed through her office.
She fell silent, feeling a little embarrassed that she had let her thirst for knowledge get the better of her.
Bah, by the end of the day, my eyes will be on those unknown Gods, both figuratively and literally.
That thought made her smile, if a masked intelligent jellyfish could smile.
I do wonder, how did my King reacted?
As she pondered this question, the Teacher went back to preparing her notebooks and the various supplies she would need for her stay at the Palace.
What kinds of exciting discoveries would they make?
Monomon could only phantom what they would find, as the letter was rather lacking in terms of details.
There could have been at least a drawn representation, or a description, but the only content the letter could offer was that the Teacher was appointed to the Palace in order to study these newcomers and answer their questions — the learning process happening both ways.
There was no point in rushing; she'll have to be patient.
A short while later, a student knocked on her door to tell the Teacher that her palanquin was ready.
After double-checking one last time to make sure she had packed or had someone pack everything she needed—and wishing she could take more—Monomon left her office and went to meet her assistant.
Quirrel, carrying a sharp nail in addition to his enormous schoolbag, was waiting for her near the steel-and-glass carriage, specially designed for the Teacher by the Pale King himself.
"I see you are fine and ready, apprentice." Monomon remarked calmly as she floated inside his palanquin.
"Indeed I am, Madam." he responded with a short bow. "I've put together some reading material for you on the various deities known in and around Hallownest, as well as a few theological texts on our King and Queen. This should help keep you from getting bored during the journey and allow you to prepare as best as possible for what awaits us at the end of the trip." he said in one breath. "…if this doesn't bother you, Madam." he added in a slightly embarrassed tone.
"My, this is just perfect." Monomon replied, glancing over the titles of the books. "Well done, apprentice." She smiled to the blushing insect, which didn't know where to put himself.
The journey went smoothly. Monomon read the books his assistant had recommended with great attention, occasionally asking him a question to clarify a point or to debate on another, to which Quirrel was quick to respond in a cheerful and confident manner.
They went silent as they entered the more frequented tunnel that ran directly beneath the City of Tears, the distant rumbling of rain and the clatter of the carriages making any conversation impossible.
Passing through the gate that marked the end of the tunnel, they saw the white walls of the palace beyond the chasm that separated the castle berms from the paved road.
Numerous bugs came and went along the way—some on foot, others in carriages, and still others on mounts—each heading to or returning from the royal estate for one reason or another.
Guard posts dotted the road at intervals, watching the crowd of onlookers with a passive yet vigilant gaze, a silent consequence of the infection that had been lurking in the far corners of the kingdom.
Crossing the monumental bridge that spanned the chasm, Monomon's carriage arrived at the main gate of the White Palace, a retainer waiting for her next to a more discreet, recessed entrance.
The insect bowed to Monomon and declared in the solemn tone customary to their profession :
"Welcome to the White Palace, Monomon the Teacher. Their Majesties would like to meet with you in private as soon as possible. Your companion, however, will not be allowed, I'm afraid." they added, looking at Quirrel.
As Monomon was about to start arguing, Quirrel spoke up :
"Oh, don't worry, Madam. I will be able to find something while waiting for you." he replied as Monomon's looked back a him with a questioning and slightly concerned expression.
"Very well. Teacher, if you could follow me." concluded the retainer with a short bow.
Monomon's figure disappeared behind the retainer, leaving Quirrel alone.
For a moment, he didn't know what to do, but he soon found himself wandering around the halls of the Palace, no one paying him much attention, if not for the few guards he passed who only cast a rapid glance at him and the nail he wore on his belt.
Quirrel paid no attention to them, preferring to marvel at the magnificent setting of the King's Palace : large, finely carved stone arches stretched from column to column, framing great stained-glass windows depicting the emblem of Hallownest.
Numerous lanterns containing lumaflies were complementing the natural light, where strange pale plants were bathing in ornate flower pots.
Attentive attendants sprinkled them with crystal clear water, taking care to ensure that every leaf was perfectly positioned so that the entire display looked flawless from every angle.
Two of the gardeners were in the middle of a conversation.
Quirrel couldn't resist his curiosity and approached them quietly.
"…and I'm convinced that the brother is a Wyrm too ! He stood up to our King—we all saw it with our own eyes!" was saying one.
“Nonsense! If the pink God was indeed a Wyrm that had taken our form, as the monarch did, his old shell would have been found long ago!” replied the other.
They are speaking about the two Gods! Quirrel remarked.
He listened even more intently to what followed, as the two gardeners pruned a particularly large white bush.
"You saw for yourself what the throne room looked like ! Not a single lantern or a floor tile was left intact, and the banners woven by Herrah the Beast herself were in tatters ! And that was the work of a Weaver, renowned for their durability and quality!"
"Nonsense, I said! Our Lady said that they were siblings, and the sister is everything but a Wyrm! I personally think that they are some kind of Mantis Gods, with their peculiar neck. Hah! Another argument against your theory: they look nothing like the Pale King."
"First of all, it's "His Majesty" or "our King". Secondly, they could have taken any appearance they like during they rebirth, so I stand my ground, at least for the pink God. Maybe the blue one is some kind of Wyrm tamer? You have seen how she accompanied our Queen when they entered the throne room: full of power and poise."
They both fell silent for a few moments, each lost in their work for a while. Quirrel took the opportunity to jot down the key points of the conversation in a small notebook.
"Maybe she is some kind of divine envoy summoned by our Queen?" one of them began again after finishing pruning a branch. "That would explain how they both went out of the Queen's private garden, even though the Lady had gone in alone."
"Let me remind you that the Hollow Knight was there too." the other replied.
"Oh, it doesn't count. It's like one of the Kingsmoulds, just an automaton, like the golems in the Crystal mines."
"By the way, why do they need golems there? Is the demand really that high? Prices just keep going up…" questioned the first gardener.
"Well, with more and more people moving to the City of Tears, the demand for energy crystals continues to grow, obviously. What's more...”
Quirrel walked away, realizing that the conversation had veered off course to a less interesting subject.
There was therefore no clear consensus on the nature of the Gods, how strange.
He hoped Monomon could enlighten him when she would come back.
In the meantime, he would continue to loiter in the castle corridors; perhaps he would learn some new theories or interesting tidbits from the retainers’ gossip.
The morning light bathed the Queen's Garden in an almost mystical glow, with dewdrops glistening like delicate jewels on every leaf and flower, and the streams, fountains, and other water features further enhancing the shimmering and fresh atmosphere of the place.
The Queen enjoyed her morning tea sip by sip, profiting of the quietness of her surrounding, her instinct knowing that it wouldn't last.
Indeed, she soon heard the faint creak of the wrought-iron gate leading to the rest of the palace, and a retainer quickly appeared on the path leading to the gazebo where the White Lady was standing.
Judging by the shy, uneasy glances they cast at the Hollow Knight standing a few paces off the path, the Queen could tell they had only been on duty for a relatively short time.
"Good morning, young retainer. What brings you to my gardens?"
The bug bowed deeply, and replied in an uncertain tone.
"Good morning, your Highness. I was send here to tell you that Monomon the Teacher had arrived."
The good news lifted the Queen's spirits, who dreaded yet another of those endless meetings with one of the nobles who were determined to speak with her or her husband for a reason or another.
"Wonderful! Has my husband been informed?"
"A note with your seal has been slipped under the door of his workshop, my Queen. I don't know if it worked or not, I'm afraid."
"Do not worry, he will see it at a moment or another. Have Looks to the Moon and Five Pebbles been informed?" added the White Lady.
Fear flashed across the young retainer’s face, but they managed to stammer out a reply.
"Humm, perhaps not, my Queen…They haven't been heard from since they were assigned their rooms, and no one dared to knock on their door…"
The Queen chuckled softly, hiding her mouth behind a root.
"It is true that Looks to the Moon’s brother made a very… spectacular entrance, to say the least. But she herself is very kind and careful, do not worry."
Seeing the bug’s unconvinced expression, the Queen could not help but laugh again.
"I see I'll have to go and see for them by myself, then. They are my guests, after all, and I must be a good hostess, in addition to being a good queen and ensuring the safety of my subjects." she added with a chuckle to the young retainer, who was finally beginning to relax a little.
"Did you show the Teacher to one of the lounges in the east wing? If I recall well, it's one of her favorites." the White Lady continued.
"Oh ! Yes, my Queen, another retainer has guided her here. She must be waiting for you as we speak."
"Very well, let's not keep her alone and let us find our dears guests, then. You may leave, young retainer."
The young insect bowed quickly and hurried back toward the Palace, not without casting one last sidelong glance at the silent Hollow Knight.
Hmm, work has to be done on that. From what my Wyrm has told me, it will keep growing for a while, and eventually that's going to cause problems for people who aren't used to it...
Thinking of a way to solve the problem, the White Lady stood up and left her garden to go find the siblings Gods, the Hollow Knight following her as usual.
A sombre yet serene atmosphere was gently filling the bedroom of Looks to the Moon.
She had woken up some time ago, but she was savoring the silence and darkness of the chamber as she had never been able to do before.
After all, until yesterday, she had spent her entire life working with holograms and complex projections, surrounded by the beeps and whirs of her bio-processors, her pumps, and the myriad of other components that made up the interior of her Superstructure.
So a little shade and calm was very welcome.
She had dimmed her halo as much as possible; the only source of light was the soft golden glow emanating from the tips of the optical fibers that used to connect her to the rest of her Can, which she now felt only very vaguely, almost more like a memory than a real sensation.
The day before, she had managed—with some difficulty—to unbutton her dress, which was very beautiful and of excellent quality, crafted by hand by the bests tailors of the era.
But after wearing the same garment for several millennia, Moon felt she was entitled to a little change, whether her Creators liked it or not.
After that, she immediately wrapped herself in the soft silk sheets of the bed and slowed down her processes until she drifted off to a welcomed sleep.
Now, she was savoring the simple pleasure of having nothing to do, while her secondary thought threads, as usual, recorded a wealth of information about her surroundings: humidity levels, radiation readings across the entire spectrum, the karmic entanglement of the microorganisms floating in the room, the distinctive sound of the White Lady approaching her bedroom.
The last thread reached her active consciousness just as the Queen gently knocked on the door.
"Looks to the Moon, are you awake? The Teacher has arrived, the person we talked about yesterday. May I come in?"
The Queen's soft voice drifted through the door, and Moon replied with a warm tone.
"Hello, White Lady, yes, please come in!"
She got out of bed and went to open the door.
"Good morning, my dear- Oh!" said the Queen as she entered. "Oh, I'm sorry Moon, I should have waited for you to get dressed before I came in. I can come back in a few instants, if you want." she continued, a bit embarrassed.
"No, don't worry, it doesn't matter." replied Moon with a chuckle. "It's not like my puppet has anything to hide, really." she continued, spinning around. "I invited you in because I could really use some help, actually. I’m not at all used to different styles of clothing, especially those in your kingdom."
Moon paused.
"Furthermore, I think I'll need some help to put certain things on." she added, looking a little flustered.
The Queen laughed with delight, freed from all the embarrassment she had felt just moments earlier.
"I would be more than happy to help you, my dear! Do you have any liking about the color you’d like to wear? Maybe something similar to your first dress?"
"Yes, some soft orange could be really nice!" replied Moon, with a twinkle in her eye.
A short time later, the White Lady was accompanying a radiant Moon outside of her room, wearing a beautiful dress in a very light shade of orange, gently wrapping around the waist of her puppet.
A necklace set with a red stone that matched the mark on her forehead adorned her neck, adding a touch of contrasting color to the blue of her shoulders, which were left bare by the cut of the garment.
Several panels of fabric overlapped one another along the entire length of the garment, resembling an insect's shell in shape.
It was clearly the fashion at the time, thought Moon, as the Queen was wearing the same style of dress, though in a very dark blue—almost black, if it weren’t for the white light of the Palace shining directly on it.
She had even taken the time to lightly braid the red and blue strands of hair flowing from the blue Iterator’s head, creating a sort of braid that floated gently behind her back and swayed with every movement she made.
Just as they were leaving Moon's room, the door to Five Pebbles' room opened, and the aforementioned being stepped out, curiosity filling his eyes from all that noise and still wearing his own orange dress.
The White Lady and Moon froze like two children caught red-handed doing something silly, a gesture mirrored by her brother.
After a moment of silence, he said:
"…I may be underdressed for this."
The two ladies burst into hearty laughter, and Moon replied:
"Don't worry, dear brother, let me help you."
A moment later, the blue Iterator came back with a freshly dressed Five Pebble, who adorned a garment more functional than his sister, though still orange as well. It consisted of a double-breasted coat fastened with a steel pin at the chest, similar in cut to what the Palace retainers might have worn, though this one was not the usual white.
"Very well." declared the Queen, delighted. "Let's not keep the Teacher waiting any longer than that."
Monomon was sitting in one of the armchairs in the living room, looking out the window at the courtyard below, which was filled with servants and guards going about their business.
She had been served tea and a snack a while ago, but the Teacher’s cup was now cold and empty.
She stood up and floated over to the window.
It wasn't like the Queen to be so late, she thought.
It wasn't usual for two new deities to appear overnight either, she noted to herself with a hint of amusement.
…was that her apprentice down there? Good, he seemed to find interest in exploring the White Palace.
Maybe he could tell her what he’d managed to pick up in the hallways, since she hadn’t had much luck on her end so far.
Just as she was about to sit back down, a retainer knocked on the door.
"Madam, her Majesty the Queen will soon arrive. His Majesty the King should be here shortly as well."
Monomon thanked him and stood there, waiting for the Queen in the center of the elegantly decorated room.
Soon, the door opened again, revealing the Queen’s distinctive silhouette, her pale face standing out elegantly against her gown, graceful in her every movement.
The Teacher bowed low, and declared solemnly:
“My Queen, I have received your letter and arrived as soon as I could. How might my knowledge and expertise be of service to Your Majesty?”
"Thank you for coming as quickly as possible, Monomon the Teacher. A minor setback held us up, but we are now fully at your disposal." responded the Queen, as solemn as her interlocutor.
We…?
Before Monomon could clearly voice her question, the Queen entered the room and made way for two strange characters dressed in orange.
Looking back, Monomon was sure that the gasp she let out had been heard by everyone in the room, but at the time, she didn't care.
The taller of the two Gods was wearing a dress similar in cut to the Queen’s, though in a nearly golden orange, accented with a red stone that resembled the strange mark they bore on their foreheads, contrasting with the blue of their body and the black of their eyes. The other, smaller one, wore a much simpler outfit in a nearly red orange, blending more subtly with the almost violet tint of their shell, the only contrasting detail being the four yellow dashes that adorned their own head, if not for the white eyes they had.
...Monomon had expected something more exotic, at least for the clothing. The only strange detail was the golden tendrils that sprouted from their head and floated gently behind them.
Then the tallest one—a woman, judging by her voice—bowed gracefully and spoke in a manner that was strangely similar to the Queen’s.
"Good day to you, Lady Monomon. My name is Looks to the Moon, and I'm looking forward to exchange with you."
She punctuated her sentence with a delicate bow, while the other God spoke.
"You may call me Five Pebbles, Teacher. I hope that our discussions will be fruitful for both of us."
He finished his sentence with a quick tilt of the chest, in a similar way to his partner. His tone reminded Monomon of the King, curiously.
She returned their greeting with a bow of her own (she was starting to feel a bit dizzy from all the bowing) and introduced herself as well.
"Greetings, Gods from another land. As you already know, my name is Monomon the Teacher, chief researcher of the Archives of this kingdom. No matter what question you ask, I'm sure I could provide you an answer."
A silence slowly settled in, broken by the Queen after a few uncertain moments.
"May any of you want some tea or cakes ? I can arrange that with the retainers."
"Thank you, White Lady." replied the blue God. "I would like some honey cake, if it's possible, as well as some of your delicious tea, it would be lovely."
To address Her Majesty in such an informal manner ? Incredible…
"Pebbles, would you like some tea too ?"
"No, don't worry, dear sister. I never really liked the tea ceremonies my Monks used to hold for me, although watching them eat gravel was entertaining—at least the first few times..."
Gravel ? They were siblings ??
Monomon quietly pulled out a notebook and jotted down a dense account of her observations and theories.
"What about you, Teacher ? Would you like some tea ?" the Queen asked.
"Ah ! Hum, yes, please." the other replied, startled out of her thoughts.
The two gods, Looks to the Moon and Five Pebbles, had taken the opportunity to sit down on a couch. Monomon hadn’t heard them move, she noted.
The Queen motioned to a servant, who bowed and slipped away through a discreet side door.
"Very well, now that everything is ready, how shall we proceed ?" began the White Lady, taking a seat that was just the right size for her.
"Maybe we could ask questions one after another ?" proposed Looks to the Moon. "That way, we will ensure an efficient allocation of response time and satisfactory of answers."
"What do you think, dear Teacher ?" asked the Queen, turning to Monomon.
“That suits me perfectly, Your Majesty.” responded the concerned.
"Very well. Dear Moon, if you want to start ?"
In a kingdom filled with insects, running into a flying jellyfish wasn't exactly on Five Pebbles' prediction.
Nevertheless, he did his best to hide his surprise when he and his sister entered the room where the infamous “Monomon the Teacher” was waiting for them.
He responded politely to her introductions, paying them little attention (the Benefactors’ manners being far worse in that regard).
An unpleasant memory flashed through his mind when his sister offered him some tea, but he managed to hide his feelings by replying with a lighthearted, humorous remark.
Why did the Teacher had to wear a mask ?
At least, it was very simple and bore no resemblance to the oddities that the inhabitants of his Metropolis wore.
He had spent a most unpleasant night, haunted by the thought that his Architects, who, in their final acid baths, must have realized that their creation had finally broken free from their chains.
To put it simply, he wasn't feeling as relaxed and cheerful as Looks to the Moon. Maybe he could talk to her or to the White Lady about it, in private, once all this is over.
After sitting down with his sister, he listened halfheartedly to the conversation, but paid closer attention when Moon asked her first question :
"I will start with a rather simple one, Teacher : what is the story of this place, and how did the kingdom of Hallownest came to be ?"
The Teacher seemed to think for a moment, then replied with a long tirade :
"A long time ago, a Wyrm arrived in the Kingdom's Edge. It was a very powerful being, looking for a place to settle. Once he had found one that suited him, it declared this land and its inhabitants as his own, and it shed of his divine shell in order to match the form of the other, lesser bugs. Thus was reborn the being we all know as His Highness, the Pale King.
The Kingdom of Hallownest was founded shortly after, with the Pale King ruling as a King together with his Queen, the White Lady, her Highness." she added, curtsying to the Queen, who returned her bow.
"Under their reign, the kingdom flourished, with many travelers, merchants and pilgrims coming and going thought the kingdom."
"Pilgrims ?" reveled Moon.
"Yes, pilgrims coming from various places across the wasteland that stretch beyond the kingdom's borders. The King is a powerful deity, as well as the Queen. Why does that surprise you ?" questioned Monomon.
"This may seem like a funny little detail, but in my youth—if you can call it that—I was one of the most important pilgrimage sites for my Creators. Not to brag about it or anything, it was…quite a stressful time."
Five Pebbles grew a little more sullen. He had guessed where it was going, and he didn't like being reminded of the reason for his existence.
The Teacher didn't seem to notice his change in demeanor, given the almost frenzied scribbling she was doing in her notebook. She looked up and asked Moon a question.
"When you say you were one of your people’s most important pilgrimage sites, you mean your temples were, right ? The way you phrased it makes it sound like you were a place of worship yourself ?"
"Well, technically, I could be considered as a temple to myself ? You see, this body—my puppet—, is only the avatar through which I communicated with my People, as well as being the center of my personality. Before coming …here, I was far more than just this small extension of myself."
The Queen raised a root to ask a question, and spoke after receiving a nod from the Teacher :
"How big was your old body, dear Moon ? I wonder if it's akin to what my husband experienced."
"Hmm, to give you an idea, the entire Palace could be placed under my Superstructure without any problems. In terms of height, I don't have much to compare it to yet, but before my brother was built, I was the tallest point in an area comparable in size to the the one of the kingdom."
The Queen could only nod silently in response to such an impressive answer, which Pebbles knew to be true, as he was now the tallest point of the region, with all due respect to those pesky Monks.
"Oh, this make me think : how is the kingdom, from a geographical perspective ?" continued his sister.
"Well, as I said, the land of Hallownest covers a vast network of caves and tunnels in the middle of a wasteland, were nothing but dry wind and cold stones are found.
The east part of the kingdom consist of lush caverns inhabited by Unn, a God of Vegetation and Growth. Close to those caves, my Archive is nested upon an acid lake, were my specie is originally from.
Beyond that, closer to the center of the kingdom lays the Fungal Wilderness, a region filled to the brim with mushrooms, crisscrossed by roads and traffic routes." replied Monomon.
She paused to catch her breath.
"Under that is a wild region known as Deepnest, which serves as the stronghold of the Spider Tribe, a proud and mysterious people led by a queen, Herrah the Beast. At the other side of the kingdom lays the Hive, ruled by another queen, lady Vespa."
Five Pebble snapped out of his slumber and made a remark.
"White Lady, when will you follow the example of these two strong-willed individuals and seize the power? I'm pretty sure your husband wouldn't notice a thing in his workshop." he added with a playful tone.
"Pebbles!" Moon said, both slightly outraged and amused by her brother.
The Queen burst into crystal-clear laughter, while the Teacher didn't know what to think in the face of the insult to her king, which make Five Pebbles smirk.
"This would be a nice idea, Five Pebbles, but not for today, I'm afraid. For now, my subjects still love my dear husband as much as I do. Monomon, I can trust you to keep the secret of the plot to yourself, can't I?"
"Hum…"
The Teacher crossed out several lines in her notebook and nodded in agreement at the Queen, who was beaming at her joke.
"Anyway, where was I ?" Monomon began again.
"You were at the Hive of lady Vespa, Teacher." said another voice standing right behind Pebbles, which made him jump.
"And just when all of you were plotting against your monarch, if I recall correctly." concluded a very satisfied Pale King.
Having finally noticed the note left by his Root—whose magic caused it to glow brighter and brighter the longer it went unnoticed—the Pale King stepped out of his workshop and hurried toward the private room, where he knew the meeting would take place.
He approached the door of the room silently, where a blue bug was already standing, carrying a nail and the usual paraphernalia of Monomon’s Apprentices. He apparently hadn't noticed the Hollow Knight, half-hidden in the shadows of a niche, staring at him impassively.
The apprentice seemed to be completely absorbed in the listening of the conversation taking place behind the door; the King recognized the voices of his beloved Root and the Teacher. Lady Moon and her brother were surely also in the room.
"Young apprentice, didn't Monomon the Teacher ever tell you that it's rude to eavesdrop?" asked the King, a touch of humor creeping into his words.
The young insect froze, and slowly turned his head, as he began to bow before his King.
"Hum, ah-, I, hum, can explain ? My King ? Your Highness ?" the young assistant could only stammer, overcome by surprise and panic.
"At ease, young one. You're not in any danger; I have enough respect for people who are brave—or reckless—enough to eavesdrop on my Queen's conversations without any ill intent."
The other stood rooted to the spot in front of the door, stammering out apologies, which was beginning to annoy the King.
"At ease, I said, we can't ear them if you continue speaking."
He approached the door and heightened his senses.
"Hmm, geography, one of my favorite subjects." he stated to the apprentice, who was still stunned by the encounter with the First God of Hallownest.
The King refocused on the conversation when he heard Five Pebble suggest to his Queen that she could take power.
“I see. So he dares. Don't move, you.” he added toward the not understanding scholar.
The Wyrm summoned a bit of his power and teleported without a trace or a sound behind the sofa where the pink God was standing.
He hadn't heard his Root's reply, but she had her eyes closed, a way for her to express her amusement.
Monomon the Teacher seemed to be lost in her notes, as she was scribbling over a few lines.
Once that was over, she cleared her throat, and asked :
"Anyway, where was I ?"
Before anyone else had a chance to answer, the King said calmly:
"You were at the Hive of lady Vespa, Teacher."
Everyone's attention snapped on him; no one had noticed his usually radiant presence.
"And just when all of you were plotting against your monarch, if I recall correctly." the King added, very proud of himself.
"My King !" Monomon stood up with a rustling of paper and pencils. "It's not what it looks like! I can explain!"
"Don't worry, faithful subject. I can recognize a joke when I hear one."
He leaned toward Five Pebbles, who was looking at him warily and still a little surprised.
"That was only a joke, wasn't it, dear friend?"
"Of course, my Wyrm, don't worry." responded his Root with a mix of amusement and worry in her voice.
"Very well, my Queen." he conceded. "While I'm at it, Teacher, I think you may want to get what's behind that door; he didn't seem to be doing very well when I caught him." the King added in a mysterious tone.
Intrigued, the Teacher went to open the door and let out a gasp of surprise when she found her apprentice standing there, looking sheepish.
"Quirrel! What are you doing here! Come in, I need your writing skills, my tentacles are beginning to ache."
She caught him with one of her appendices, pulled him into the room and closed the door in the same motion.
"My King, My Queen, Looks to the Moon, Five Pebbles, this young bug is Quirrel, my latest assistant. Say hello, Quirrel, don't be afraid."
The Pale King was surprised that said bug hadn't burst into flames yet, so red with embarrassment that he was at being the center of attention under so many divine eyes.
Monomon patted him on the head to encourage him, and he finally said in a little voice:
"Good day, Your Highnesses, my name is Quirrel, and I'm Monomon's latest assistant." he repeated almost mechanically, forgetting to add the Teacher's title to her name.
"Very good, apprentice." declared Monomon, seeming satisfied nonetheless. "Now, if you can be of help and continue taking notes on my behalf, it would be superb."
The bug slowly nodded and went to sit in a corner with a huge notebook and several quills.
"Good. So, the Hive of lady Vespa." resumed by the Teacher. "Constructed at the other side of the kingdom compared to Deepnest. The White Palace lays between them, and under the kingdom main city and capital, the City of Tears.
Yes, Looks to the Moon, a remark ?" Monomon stopped at the sight of the other's raised hand.
"It's quite a peculiar name, for a capital. Is there a reason behind it ?" the blue God simply asked.
The King struggled to hold back the urge to answer, as talking about his kingdom was one of his favorite pastimes. He moved slowly over to sit next to the Queen, who discreetly wrapped a root around one of his arms to pet him.
"The City takes its name from the curious phenomenon found in the large cave where it was built." began Monomon. "Above it lies the Blue Lake, one of the kingdom's major bodies of water."
The Wyrm noticed the almost amused look that lady Moon and her brother exchanged.
Perhaps they had a special connection to water, he thought to himself as he basked in his Queen’s affection
"The cracks and fissures separating the two spaces allow small amounts of water to seep through the rock, creating a light but steady drizzle over the city below—a very unusual phenomenon, if you ask me." continued the unbothered Teacher.
At those words, Five Pebbles raised his hand to speak.
Moon listened intently, waiting to hear what her brother was going to say.
"From were we're from, rain is…fairly common, if I can say so." began Five Pebbles, with a jaded tone.
"After all, to ensure our smooth operation, our wonderful Creators had the brilliant idea of making us cool down with water, which caused torrential downpours every cycle of steam releasing." he continued, his voice tainted with disdain.
"Our world had become one of rain—everywhere, all the time."
Five Pebbles fell silent, grim leaking from his very posture.
The atmosphere had changed dramatically, becoming much more tense.
“How did your creators manage to live in such a hostile environment?” asked the King, his curiosity seemingly piqued.
While comforting her brother, Looks to the Moon replied.
"As I mentioned before, us Iterators were the only thing that were above the rain clouds. So they built their cities on top of us, so that we could serve them even better in their self-imposed exile.
This solution posed many problems for the oldest of us, me included. We were built at a time where the People could still inhabit the surface, and we weren't designed to host large populations."
She was silent for a few moments before speaking again.
"That is why I am one of the few who has been blessed with a sibling: since I was unable to fulfill my duty, the Creators built a new Superstructure near me, in order to relocate my population while welcoming the last inhabitants from the surface.
Thus was born Five Pebbles, Iterator of the Metropolis, capital city of the region. A heavy title to wear, even for the third generation my little brother is."
She paused for a bit.
"Most of the residents were from my city—former pilgrims who had stayed in my own complex. Forced to move to Metropolis, they had no one to blame but Five Pebbles.
Some of theme just didn't care, but others were doing everything they could to make my brother understand that he wasn't the kind of solution they desired. Not to add the refugee Monks of the True Anointed Citadel, a religious complex covered in Five Pebbles' shadow, who were doing their best to convey their frustrating point of view as clearly as possible."
Pebbles testified the annoyance he had with those by a weary grunt.
A heavy silence then fell, disturbed only by the soft scratching of Quirrel’s quill on the paper.
Five Pebbles stared at the ground, while the King and the Queen were lost in thought, and Monomon sat silently, hunched over her notebook.
The monarch then took a deep breath, and rose from his Queen’s arms, a movement that caught everyone's attention, including her brother's.
"Five Pebbles, I wasn't aware of your difficult past. Being a reigning figure can be a heavy burden, especially if the role has been forced upon you. What’s more, I’m fortunate to have subjects who love me, as well as my Root to assist me in my duties."
He paused.
"Yours, on the other hand, seemed at best indifferent to the ruler of their city, and at worst hostile—for reasons you were not responsible for."
He moved and placed himself in front of Moon's brother.
"I judged you too hastily, and let my anger and surprise get the better of me. For that, I apologize to you, Five Pebbles, ruler of the city of Metropolis, and welcome you once more to my own kingdom. I hope that from now on, our relations will be as respectful as they could."
He finished his sentence with a respectful nod from the head.
After a moment's hesitation, which Moon dispelled by placing his hand on his brother's shoulder to encourage him, the pink Iterator declared:
"I also apologize for my behavior, Pale King, for arriving like a thief on your lands, mistaking you for nothing more than a common beast, and provoking your anger with my words. I also hope that our relationship will henceforth be fruitful and respectful, so that I may best assist you in your task of fighting the evil that is coming to your kingdom."
Following the King's lead, he bowed his head as well.
A solemn atmosphere filled the room; no one could think of anything to say.
Then, at first quietly, Monomon the Teacher began to clap, soon followed timidly by her apprentice, and then by the Queen and Moon herself.
Five Pebbles and the Pale King looked at them strangely, exchanged glances to see if the other had any idea what was going on, and then the pink Iterator asked:
"Hum, Moon, why are you all clapping like this was some form of important event?"
"Indeed, why, my Root?" added the monarch towards his Queen, who responded by a soft chuckle.
"Both of you are really not very subtle sometime, you know that, my Wyrm?" she finally answered.
"Indeed, White Lady." continued Moon. "It’s so rare to see you admit your mistakes and ask another for forgiveness, Pebbles, even though you’re always so sure you’re right.
And judging by your Queen's reaction, Pale King, the same must be true for you.
Fortunately, the Teacher is here to capture this historic moment." she added with a laugh.
And indeed the Teacher was capturing, judging by the sound of quills on parchment coming from her and her apprentice.
"Yes ? Sorry, I was sidetracked." finally declared Monomon, looking up from her notes.
Just then, a retainer arrived, knocked on the door, and entered the living room carrying a tray with several plates of cakes and two steaming teapots.
Moon couldn't help but let out a little squeal of delight when she saw the little honey cakes coming her way.
After serving tea to the rest of her guests and her husband, the Queen settled back comfortably in her chair and began drinking her own cup in small sips.
"Tell me, Quirrel, what do your activities under the guidance of Monomon the Teacher entail?"
"Oh ! Hum, well, it's interesting to say the least, your Highness." the bug replied hesitantly. "You see things that don't happen every day, that's for sure." he added, looking at Monomon, the Pale King and Five Pebbles debating over the best way to serve the cakes with tea, while Moon wasn't questioning herself and just enjoyed the dwindling supply of honey cakes.
The Queen chuckled elegantly, which made the young apprentice blush.
"That’s an interesting take on the matter, yes. It’s not every day that my husband admits to having made a mistake. Nor is it every day that two new Gods appear on this land, of course." she added, taking a sip of tea.
"Oh, definitely! But they have so many interesting stories to tell, a new culture to explore, and a perspective on the world that’s never been expressed before!" Quirrel said enthusiastically. "I wonder how they'll react when they see the rest of the Kingdom. They haven't gone beyond the Palace grounds yet, have they?" he questioned.
"No, our King felt it would be wiser to keep this matter confidential for the time being. I can't even imagine what would happen if the kingdom's most zealous subjects realized that two new deities were available—not to mention all the nobles who would want to curry their favor in one way or another."
The Queen paused.
"It is best to first introduce them to the kingdom, its history, and its people. That is why we decided to summon Monomon the Teacher to the Palace, so that we could best prepare them for the inevitable."
"A wise decision indeed, Your Highness. But maybe it would be best to give them a discreet tour of the important places in the Kingdom, such as the Archives, or show them the City of Tears from the Watcher’s Tower? I’m sure they’d find it interesting, while avoiding being seen by too many people." proposed the apprentice, feeling more at ease thanks to the tea and the relaxed tone of the conversation.
"…you are indeed a skilled apprentice of Monomon, young Quirrel. Yes, this is a good idea. Maybe my King could accompany them; it’s been a while since he himself has left his palace." replied the White Lady.
She gently tapped her husband on the shoulder to get his attention and motioned for him to come over to her.
"Yes ? What does my beloved Root and the young listener at the doors want from their monarch ?" he asked in a light tone.
"This young apprentice had a very clever idea to propose to you, my Wyrm." said the Queen with a smile in her voice.
"Oh, and what could it be ?" continued the King, turning toward a flustered Quirrel.
"You see, Your Highness, I was speaking with our Queen when I suggested that Looks to the Moon and Five Pebbles could be discretely led out of the Palace to visit the Watcher's Tower and the Archive, in order to have a better understanding of the Kingdom. Both places aren't very crowned, and a formal visit from Your Highness would not be out of the ordinary and could be a good cover plan, while ensuring that you’re never far from them, just in case something was to happen."
"…you are indeed a skilled apprentice of Monomon, young one. However, I would have preferred to have one of the Knights with me, just to be on the safe side. Unfortunately, they’re all on mission across the Kingdom and won’t be back for a few days. Bah, you will make a fine guard if anything append."
The King turned back to the other members of the meeting.
"I will arrange this with the Teacher. Thank you for your brilliant idea, young Quirrel."
The Queen chuckled softly at the bug's embarrassment, who didn't know where to put himself.
"Adjoining rooms will be prepared for you and Monomon; that will be more convenient. I will have a message sent to Lurien so that he can make the necessary arrangements." calmly said the Queen.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Quirrel replied, bowing deeply.
"Don't worry, young apprentice. Oh, I can't wait too see how they will react to the journey! You will tell me everything when you will come back, I can count on you, yes?" she asked the blue bug, exited at the idea of a discovery outing.
"Don't worry, Your Highness. The Teacher will no doubt have me to write a report in multiple copies, anyway." replied the bug, in a slightly discouraged tone at the end.
The Queen's laughter filled the living room.
Yes, it promised to be an interesting experience.