"A Wrym is a wingless and limbless dragon by most standards. However, in the bug world, they can take other forms and have a powerful sense for foresight...
Their natural instinct is to pull bugs into their thrall. This, however, may cause problems...
Wyrms have been heard to have two lives. Their first one is spent in their larger, more powerful form. The second is a comparably smaller form that helps with surviving amongst common bug folk..." read an open book on a collector bug's desk.
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Meanwhile, a Wyrm suddenly shot through the earth. A slight echoing muttering heard coming from the great beast. Despite the earth rumbling from the immense speed of the being, it went unnoticed by all of Hallownest.
Eventually, it came to rest. Facing the corpse of a similar pale being. The Wyrm had used it's remaining energy, and passed.
A small bug crawled out of it's maw, and looked around in surprise. It's wings hanging limply, and it's tail flicking.
"I'm... back in Hallownest?" he gasped, his eyes widening as he looked around the small cave he found himself in.
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Meanwhile, back in The City of Tears, Ghost seemed to gain a new feral demeanour. Void dripping from the bottom of their face. Hornet seemed to notice and turned around.
"I'll be right back... Something needs to be killed..." they growled, before launching off like a rocket out of the high up open window. Hornet facepalmed and ordered Hollow to go after Ghost, because if she went, "we won't have a King anymore..." After a quick salute, Hallow made their way down the tall building, and headed off in the direction the Higher Void Being dashed off to.
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Back at the Wyrms, the small bug had crept into the older Wyrm carcass to investigate. His pronged shaped horns resembling the teeth of the deceased beings. He freezed as a loud noise was heard from above. The bug quickly flattened himself against the inners of the Wyrm he was in, as Ghost landed in the small pocket. Their back spiked as they noticed the changes. Ghost stuffed their head inside the newer Wyrm's maw, and looked around.
"nothing." they growled as they turned to peak in the other.
The 4 seconds Ghost spent looking inside felt like hours for the pale bug. His heart felt as if it was going to burst out of his chest, and he hoped that the being couldn't hear it. Ghost finally brought their head out, and muttered a growl of; "also nothing... It might've passed me earlier...", and launched back out from the opening of the cave, now once again blocked with the decaying Wyrm dust.
The bug melted from relief, and stumbled back out. He seemed to have wilted as he breathlessly gasped "What the heck is The Lord of Shades doing here????". He straightened up and smoothed out his crinkled wings before attempting to get out of the cave as well. His wings were still rather weak, so it was definitely a challenge.
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Hollow had been tracking small specks of void left behind by Ghost, and met up with Sheo, Oro, and Smith, who had pointed them in the direction they saw Ghost flee off to. Hollow thanked them in the same silent way they always did, and ran off. Eventually, they found the small dark cloak that Ghost always wore... but no Ghost. Worry washed over them as they began a much more desperate search. Suddenly, bursting from the wall of dust, Ghost came to a sudden stop, before they would've bashed into Hollow.
"Hollow??" Ghost said with surprise before clearing their throat and hiding their shock. "ahem... Hornet made you chase after us... didn't she?" with this, Hollow handed the cloak over and gave a guilty nod. "we should probably get back then..." Ghost said with slight distance in their voice as they put their cloak on. Hollow gave another nod. Ghost passed them, looking straight ahead. "Come on, Hollow. Quickly now." They beckoned before adding a "F:)king wyrm..." under their breath. Hollow broke away from their slight distraction and followed.
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A pale open clawed hand thrusted forward out of the dust blockage before forming a shaking fist. This was followed by the small pale bug (who you probably know is Pale King, but I will refer to as Pale), who's wings were draped behind him.
"Right. First we get some form of clothes.... second........ make a plan..." Pale theorised while feeling embarrassed, naked, and cold. He then skittered away to try find a place to reorient himself. During this, he almost ran into Sheo, Oro, and Smith.
"... who the f:)k is that, and why do they look like the dead pale king?" Oro pointed out bluntly as Pale flattened himself against another wall out of view of the three. This, however, caused Oro to get questioned and lectured by Sheo.
"There's noone there... ORO! Are you on something?!?"
"No, I saw somin there!"
"Why is it so hard to hide noooooooowww?? It was so easy before!" Pale whined in fear quietly. After half a minute of psyching himself up, he ran behind Sheo and scaled the wall quickly in order to get to a hidden area nearby. "It's bad to do drugs. Do art instead." Sheo insisted as Oro watched Pale jump from protruding rock to protruding rock in silence.
YOU ARE READING
The Pale King's Return (Novel version)
FanfictionI'm drawing a comic about this already (go check that out if you wanna), but decided to try make a written version. hope you enjoy lol (Does include small swears from time to time, so please read with discretion lol)
