[ABANDONED] A Series of Oneshots

Ascent (Hollow Knight)

No cost too great.

I laid in the skulls of the vessels, barely conscious of anything except a sharp pain in my side. Let me sleep, I tried to say, but nobody could hear me.
I tried move away from the pain, but it persisted until I broke free of the skulls.

I stared at the remains of the vessels. Shells littered the floor and empty eyes stared at everything and nothing at once.

Siblings? I wondered why they were here, outside of the comfortable void, and realized I was too. I touched my side and winced at the pain. Shells were sharp and crackled beneath my feet.

A vessel fell from the sky and landed in front of me. It didn't move after the impact. I looked up and was blinded by a harsh light. Maybe it was soft light; it's hard to tell when darkness was all you ever knew.

Other vessels were climbing the walls of the Abyss we called home. The light attracted them, and I felt that pull too.

I started to climb, and then hesitated. The comfort of the Void called to me and proclaimed that anything new was dangerous, but the light pulled me like a moth with its claims of adventure and prosperity in a kingdom of bugs unlike anything I ever knew.

Fame and fortune meant nothing to me, but adventure... I kept climbing the jagged walls. A powerful voice rang out.

No mind to think.

The corpses of my siblings fell around me, but I kept climbing. The voice spoke again.

No will to break.

But everyone had a will. Was that even possible? I could be unbreakable, I thought and quickened my speed.

No voice to cry suffering.

I could feel the exhaustion permeate my body, but I pressed upwards. Wait for me! I can do this! I wanted to scream, but I had no mouth to speak of. I could be what the light was looking for.

I found myself climbing alone. I looked down and realized I couldn't see the bottom. Not even the white shells of my siblings.

Born of God and Void.

The whispering of the Void grew louder as I ascended. I could see a cliff above me where I could rest.

The cliff was made of metal and slippery, but I clung to it and tried to see over it.

Two figures stood on the metal, a vessel with sharp horns and a pale being with a crown of horns upon his head. He stood in his white robes and facing away from the other vessel and me.

I watched as the two of them walked away and tried to lift myself up. The vessel looked at me, and we made eye contact. Something seemed to spark in his black eyes. Worry? I wondered.

I started slipping. I struggled to hold on to the metal. Help me, sibling! I wanted to scream, but he wouldn't be able to hear me. He followed the source of the light, and the door slammed with a shudder. The light faded, and I fell into the comfort of darkness.

You shall seal the blinding light that plagues their dreams.

You are the Vessel.

You are the Hollow Knight.