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marv3l-drag0ns · 2 years

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me, spinning a massive globe and throwing a dart at it: :) the dart, landing on a land mass titled "ANGST": :)

anyway here's that hollow knight au but taken into story form minus an ending

Knightmare (A Knights Melody) Ghost is in Howling Cliffs (following Sheo’s advice to visit Mato) Stumbles into the wrong cave Finds the crusty dusty troupe guy. thinks nothing of it, ‘cept maybe “huh this guy is pretty crusty. also weird clothes, wonder why its wearing that”

later, when they come back with the dream nail to visit Mato (dadmaster) they remember the crusty troupe member Go with the dream nail to find out what their death was about. Nightmare essence (vibes are kind of malicious but also laughter. also if you touch it its very hot but only for a second) Hears a crackle-pop from the antechamber. goes to investigate in case its an enemy. finds the lantern that DEFINITELY wasnt there before. spooked leaves bcuz what the fuck. talks to mato about it mato looks grimm (HA) for a moment, before saying “i would not continue interacting with that corpse of ages past or that lantern of dying breaths. have caution, my child.” the knight agrees bcuz thats SPOOKY AS FUCK MAN

goes to seer to ask what the nightmare essence is. seer tells them that its the antithesis of the dream essence, the flip side of the coin. hints at the radiance’s fallen brother? goes to jiji to ask about the arrival of the lantern from the corpse. jiji’s confused, suggesting that the knight talk to the corpse again. perhaps it was the corpse’s purpose before it died?

the knight relunctantly (except they dont say that bcuz no mind to think etc) returns and dreamnails the corpse again. unsure if the “master” is radiance (doesnt think so bcuz the impression was more flamelike while radiance is more hot metal. smoke versus searing asphalt).

tells jiji this. jiji “hmms” thoughtfully, before suggesting lighting the lantern. to set the corpse’s mind at rest. knight “NOPE”s out of there bcuz has she not seen all of the infected? what the fuck? you have seen not once not twice but THREE TIMES what happens with angry Higher Beings! The knight even more so!

later, after making it through the coliseum of fools to get the simple key for the Coffin, they revisit it. Godseeker is an asshole, but also worships the higher beings. if one of the “champions” has something to do with that lantern (and the inscription on grimm’s statue points to that) then they need as much warning as possible. their shade has not died yet. and while this lack of self care is not great, it is how they have been taught.

they light the lantern.

it is burning, far beyond the pain they felt in any other fight (except maybe against hornet, against their sibling of sire’s lineage. even that was more betrayal than anything.) ((they do not remember their first betrayal. they do not choose to remember. they are Better than that.)) the burning tries to latch on to fears or desires that the knight has, searing through their being, but due to the nature of the void and them being Hollow, the searing passes through without coalescing into anything. the knight finds a sense of anger at this. they do not know from whom as the Knight wakes up, they see the motes of nightmare essence once more. the burning-angry-searing red matches the newly-lit Lantern, which now seems to glisten a scarlet, wet, red.

Exiting the cave, they find the essence does not continue out of the cavern. any nightmare essence that was following them seems to shiver in the face of the wind and gravitates closer to the lantern, rebounding off it deeper into Hallownest. In order to avoid affecting their Mentor with. whatever this is. the knight passes by without a goodbye. (Mato will remember that they left without a goodbye. he will be saddened, but understand. His child has work to do.) (He will not see them for some time.)

It is when they enter Dirtmouth once again that they stumble from their path. The tents have been set up, leading them to question how long they were unaware. They recognize the troupebeasts as similar to Willow, which sets them on the wrong foot. Willow was dangerous in the past. who knows how these bugs may still act. They do not enter the tent. they feel it could be dangerous. they are still enticed, subtly. (They were the ones who called the Troupe. it is their fault. the nightmare heart sees this as a plea to join them. an older mthod, but a strong one) ((it does not let its serfs go lightly.)) Elderbug waves them down to tell them about how the troupe just showed up and set up camp. he is old and could not stop them. this is a town of tired people. they could not change this. He does mention that Sly stood outside his shop and semed quite angry that the troupe was here, and elderbug could see his claws flex as if Sly wanted to hold something tightly.

the knight goes once more to confessor jiji, who says that they seem different. if only slightly. as if they are being followed by an angry ex. They do also (begrudgingly) go to willow. to see what she knows about the Troupebeasts. She turns them away immedieatly, saying that she will not see them smelling like that. They smell like a past better off forgotten.

The knight returns. if their friends are telling them this was bad, but also their… hmm… disliked aqquantance, then something must be done. Hornet will not leave her dying kingdom. It is up to them. (They cannot hear the Void Sea thrashing as it senses another Higher Being. The battle between Pale-Hated-LIght-Chains and the Infected-Groomed-Aqquiescal-Sun was harsh and cruel. It has lost parts of itself to both Beings. It will not lose the third. There is no unity without all.)

Going into the Troupe campgrounds does not reveal much. Brumm does. Brumm does not share much, but does give a nod to each the Knight and Grimm when he is dismissed. The knight does not receive nods of admiration and respect. it is a vessel. the most “admiration” it has gotten was from Bretta.

Grimm begins a story to them. He talks about coming together to create a child meant to surpass both of them, as all children must. And he mentions that with that act, the Knights initiation can begin. The knight has no time for- for copulation, nor for an initiation. They cannot stop their quest to purge the Radiance from Hallownest. They cannot explain this. Grimm is pulling them along into a set of paces. He calls it a dance. The knight is clumsy compared to his sure-footed and flowing moves. It is hypnotizing. They do not notice the mask that Brumm has brought with him. They do notice Grimm taking their Shell in his hands. And brushing their Shell softly. And taking this new mask with reverence. For the Child? No. For them. In a decisive move Grimm places the mask on the Knight’s Shell, sending the burning-angry-searing-SUCESSS careening through their Self. (Their lack of self. they are Hollow. They are Pure. They are the True Saviour.) ((The True Saviour of what? There- there is something new to care for. The Child. The Heart.)) With his unique connection to the Heart, Grimm gets hit with a heavy sensation of victory, and an extra breath of power. It hits him with a chill. The Heart has so much room in this Knight, this new Vessel. There is so much empty room, as if the Knight had no hopes themself. No Dreams. And no Nightmares. Brumm and the rest of the Troupe gets a taste of this as well. They all get a shiver of recognition. Of the loss of memories that comes with every new member. They do not react, the Nightmare Heart whispering reassurances and whisking away the memories of fear that remain. Only Brumm starts to question this lack of emotion. It is an unwanted questioning, but vital. How has this Knight lasted this far in this desolate kingdom with no emotions to gain from it? (Later, as he ventures into the kingdom and sees the Infected, and the ruins of towns, and reads the diaries and stories of past citizens, he will no longer wonder. He will see it as a method to cope.) ((It is only when he gets to the City of Tears and the statue of the Pure Veseel that he will revise this theory. There is something not right in this Kingdom.)) (((The encounter with the Gendered Child does not clear things up. The resemblance is in face only. She has anger. What has this Knight gone through, that they feel nothing?)))

(Hornet hates this Troupe. Hallownest has not fallen. Not while she still guards it. No matter how she can feel it crying out for the Rites. ((She will not leave her mother to die.)) This troupe spits in the face of everything she knows. Perhaps The Knight shall meet her at the End of the World to help her drive them out) (The Pure Vessel feels another kin be snuffed out. It felt the Doubter be broken. It felt the Naive fall to the Sister’s Needle. And it felt the countless others crushed as it ascended faster and faster to reach that Pale Light. It’s sibling, once lost and now Found, has become clouded. An angry miasma obscures it. This can only be a sign of the Light once more approaching. A piercing nail driving at its Shell from the inside reminds it to stop thinking. No Mind…) (The Radiance, Her Blinding Glory, feels Her Brother crow in victory. She laughs. Still behind Her in so many ways. Always in Her Shadow. She had a Vessel decades before. ((She ignores the inkling of doubt. This new Vessel is gone, gone from slaying Her followers. It is a good thing.) (The void writhes with wrath. It’s Child. Stolen. Kin has been lost before, only to Reunite. This one shall not. Not when It has allied Itself with a different Being. The Void is the First. It is the Last. It will be Reunited)

The Knight, renamed The Paladin, has begun to seek the Nightmare essence. It preforms it’s duties toward the Child without a care. It does so efficiently. It does so quickly. The Child Grows) (Outside, the citizens of Hallownest look at this Troupe Member unkindly. It resembles the Knight, certainly. The shape is familiar. The Mind is not. It has the same efficiancy, but lacks the occasional pauses. This is not a kind soul.) (They are not strangers to enemies hidden in the shells of loved ones. they will not tarnish the memory of the Knight with this Dark Copy)

——————————

The Paladin’s first encounter is with Lemm, surprisingly. Lemm hears the click of a Vessels claws on his floors, and goes out to price the Knights newest artifacts. He finds the Paladin. They are not looking at him, but rather outside, where he can barely make out a lit lantern. Which makes no sense, as this city is permanently wet. The paladin leaves quietly and quickly, meaning Lemm must chase after them to understand why they have chosen to dress like a Grimm Troupe Reaper. He finds them taking the lantern, breaking it with their nail, and taking the red flame into their hands. He sees them open their cloak, withdrawing a sleeping bundle of wing membrane, and feeding this flame to the Child. He leaves, quietly locking his door behind him. Perhaps he needs to finally leave this city and this kingdom, if the Troupe has begun taking what little protectors are left.

Quirrel hears by word of mouth from the Last Stag about the latest passenger. An old, bearded bug, carrying a musuems worth of artifacts, headed to the Surface. Quirrel follows the stagways to the Crossroads, fleeing from the heavily infected husks that he finds there, until he climbs the well into Dirtmouth. Seeing the harsh red light of the Troupe’s tents nearly sends him into a panic attack. He doesn’t know why. He wakes up with Elderbugs hand patting him uncertainly. Asking about the troop reveals that Elderbug does not know why they are there, nor does he know what happened to the Knight. Quirrel begins to feel uncomfortable. If the Knight has been slain by the troop, then this speaks to their strength. It is not safe. He sees Brumm leaving, with a large pack. He follows silently, until Brumm turns around before the entrance to Fog Canyon and asks what he is doing. Quirrel stands his ground. He hopes he is faster than this Troop member. He tells Brumm that he is worried about his friend, the Knight. Brumm laughs a bit harshly. Brumm says he should be. I am going to find out if they can be saved, he says. Quirrel continues to follow him.

The Paladin faces Hornet as it tracks down the last Grimkin Master. The fight with this Kin ((It do not know why this referral to the Grimkin as full Kin hurts so bad. as whyit feels so wrong. but it cannot be. the bonds of the Heart are full and strong) is longer and a more satisfying chase. ascending past these corpses of Fools to see the tail dissapearing into another passage elicits a “nyah” of excitement from the Child. This grimkin is strong. Good. The encounter ends as the Paladin seizes the essence. With the Child satiated for now, the Paladin can take a moment to adjust the charm configuration. This hidden outpost near the top of the world provides interest, but not enough to pause the journey. The sounds of a blade sharpening do draw interest however. Stowing the Child further into it’s cloak, the Paladin goes to investigate. The mournful and grieving look it receives from this bug dressed in bright red is confusing. The shade is off, and she does not bear the same style of mask as the troop, but she looks familar. She has drawn her weapon. It does the same. The Child, the Ritual, is more important than any questions or familiarity. “Knight. If you even remember that title. I cannot allow you to continue on this path.” The Paladin does not know who she is referring to. It defends itself. She falls. She does not get up. It is pained. It does not know why.

Brumm leads Quirrel to the Hidden Village. Quirrel hates it down here, but remembers the path despite himself.

ENDING: Paladin fights brumm off from destroying Lantern (Brumm fails to vanish) Quirrel steals Grimmchild while Brumm is fighting, takes Grimmchild to Hornet who helps play keep-away. hornet is very injured,

but manages to take Paladin to the Abyss, where she shoves them in. Paladin does the Remembrance, fights Grimm Off, and continues quest as usual (THIS PART MAKES LESS SENSE I DIDNT WRITE IT OUT LIKE THE REST)

#hollow knight #dragon's dissertations #the grimm troupe #this mostly comes from the fact that if the grimm troupe is subsisting off of dying kingdoms it CANT be all good #especially if its also nightmares?????

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