No Emotions to Feel

Ch 20: Lose Me Once, Then Never Again

Hornet nearly stumbled when the vessel ran off so suddenly.

"Sibling where are you- damnit why did I tell them" She looked at the message on the ground, getting ready to run after them.

'going to Palace, do not follow, meet at Dirtmouth'

She almost laughed out loud, there was no way she'd just let them go like that. What if they got hurt? She just got them back, there was no way she would lose them again. She waited for a short second then launched her needle after them, she would follow them in secret.

If she wasn't so stressed, perhaps she would have enjoyed the challenge of the hunt. However, the further the vessel ran the more reckless they became.

She watched them crash into an Ooma, and nearly blew her cover to save them from the explosion, only to see them ignore the damage and continue. They kept tearing through or past thorns that ripped at their mask and cloak, but again gave no reaction.

At this rate Hornet would have to step in to stop them from dying.

Thankfully, they finally reached the bridge leading to Hegemol's door. They crossed safely, though Hornet couldn't deny the moment of panic she felt when they just launched themselves over the acid lake and only barely reached the next platform.

But finally, they'd have to stop. If only for a moment to find a way around, since the door was locked and the key had long since disappeared with the knight who carried it.

However, no. Apparently they didn't think that a solid stone wall would stop them. Hornet watched as they ran faster towards the door, then dashed right through it.

How in the Void did- oh, well Void was a good enough answer as any.

After her brief pause to process what just happened, she darted up into the plants above for a path over the door. By the time she got around, the vessel was already gone.

Cursing, she began making her way to the white palace as fast as she could. At least she knew their destination, not that she was happy about it.

Hornet didn't like The White Palace, at least not anymore. The place she once saw as a playground crumbled into something darker in both reality and her memories.

It was physically and mentally draining to be here. She suspected that the darkness of the cavern was more than just a lack of lanterns, seeing as exposure to Void was draining too, though she couldn't deny that her distaste towards everything remaining here had a hand in her avoidance.

Whatever, she had enough endurance to be here for however long she needed to make sure her sibling was okay.

...

Her sibling did not look okay.

Forget following them in secret, something was clearly wrong.

They were crumpled over on a tile-shattered floor, void leaking out of not only wounds but the crack in their mask.

"Sibling! What's wrong?" She rushed over and tapped their shoulder lightly, but they gave no response.

"You need to react if you're awake. I need to know, now."

Still nothing.

Fine.

Hornet knelt down and reached into her cloak, finding the one small vial she knew remained. Pulling it out, the small area around her was lit with a shade of cyan blue.

Lifeblood, although taboo, was incredibly useful. Besides, no one would or could stop her. She was probably the closest to being any form of law left in Hallownest, and even if there was any remaining she would ignore them.

Recalling how vessels ate, and repressing a shudder from the memory, she tipped the lifeblood into the vessel's eye socket.

A soft blue glow glossed over the vessel's injuries, stopping the void from bubbling out. It may not heal them, but they would be protected for the journey to getting healed.

Carefully adjusting the vessel so they wouldn't get jostled too much, Hornet held them tightly with one arm and readied her needle with the other.

She quickly walked past the palace remains into the stagway, a place she would sometimes visit to steal from the numerous spools of silk laying around. The stagways were long since abandoned, most of the stags themselves having died of infection or age. Hornet never bothered to check the stag nest, no need to add the knowledge of another tragedy to the seemingly infinite list.

Regardless, the stagways were a quick and relatively safe way to travel. As long as you didn't get lost... but Hornet had mapped out 7 different stagway routes. The palace ruins, Deepnest, the City of Tears storeroom, the Queen's station, the Resting Grounds, and the crossroads. The crossroads were the closest to Dirtmouth, so that was her destination.

She launched her needle down the tunnel and, once again confirming a good grip on her unconscious sibling, jumped off the platform.

— — — — — — — —

Back when The White Palace was still standing, when she was still referred to as Herrah's child, a meeting between The Dreamers had gone so late that Hornet was present for dinner.

She sat next to the smaller vessel, the larger sitting one chair past them, ignoring the conversation between the adults. Everyone had started their meals but she remembered not eating enough. She had taken only a couple bites, when she got distracted by her siblings.

Instead of a plate with food in front of them, there were two glowing bottles, and neither had moved to take them. Hornet looked at the King and, with zero hesitation of interrupting, asked why they weren't eating anything. The King had, for just a brief moment, looked confused. Then he looked to the vessels and said, "go ahead".

No, Hornet did not eat much that night.

Seeing her siblings empty a bottle of pure magic directly into their eye-sockets had ruined her appetite, and she refused to stay late enough for dinner again.

(note: I'M ALIVE! It's been almost a year, and I am so so sorry. I know how it feels to wait forever for a story to update, and I'm sorry I did that to you guys. College kicked the absolute hell out of me, but a healthy dose of recovery time and therapy does wonders. I finally have enough time and energy to write chapters and post again, so I'll see you guys next month!) 

(extra note: also what the hell how does this story have 5.1K reads and 188 votes???? thank you guys so much! honestly can't believe its that high with how long I've been gone, but i guess that means i've got to make it up to you! i'll do my best!)