...son?...

chapter 10 : 'freeing' the souls

As Hollow began to regain consciousness, he was greeted by the purple figure "ahhhh you've returned, welcome back to the waking world" Hollow got up "Who are you?" he asked, "i am Seer", Hollow began to observe her appearance, she was "a moth?" Hollow said with surprise "yes, i am one of her many decendants, but now i am the only one" Seer said "Prince Hollow, my apologies for doing something like that to you" "you were the...voice that called me...but why did you call...me here?" Hollow asked, "well, because i know a way to help you" she said as she looked at the mysterious nail, "help me? Help me...what exactly?" said Hollow "the infected child, your kin" she said as gave a confused look, "my kin?" "Nevermind that, first, let me show you a way to cure the bug" she said as she took the mysterious nail from Hollow's hands, "ah yes, this talisman you weild, the dream nail, it can cut through the veil that seperates the waking world from our dreams" she said as she rifled her fingers on the blade, "cut through the...veil that seperates...the waking world...from our dreams? What...does that mean?" Hollow said confused "I would love to show you but I must admit that the blade has dulled over time, but together, perhaps we can restore it's power, you only need to bring me essence" she said as she gives the dream nail back to Hollow, "essence?" "Essence...the precious fragments of light that dreams are made of, collect it where ever you find it, and bring it to me, once we Have enough we can work together. Go out into the world, Wielder. Hunt down the Essence that lingers there! Collect 100 Essence and return to me. I will teach you more..." Seer said "but where can...essence be collected?" "Essence can be found wherever dreams take root. Have you seen them? Those whispering plants that grow all over this old Kingdom? I believe there is one just outside. Why not strike it with your Dream Nail, and see what happens?" She said as Hollow walks out of the cave, feeling the slight breeze, that's filling him with determination, he jumped down to a platform, he saw a familiar looking root, it had what looks like dream catchers in the ends of every branch, as Hollow start to approach the root, the root began to glow and so did the dream nail, Hollow charged up the blade and strike the root, a low toned ring echoed through the resting grounds, the dream catchers shone bright as the root lifted up it's branches and fragments of light flew out of the root and the area was filled with glowing silhouettes of dream catchers, Hollow jumped from platform to platform using the blade to collect it, as he collected them a ghostly ping like sound came out, as he collected more the sound got higer in tone, when he finished collecting, the silhouettes disappeared as he heard a loud glittering sound from below him, he went down to the platform and saw the root now bigger, lighter in colour but lacking the dream catchers in the ends of it's braches. Hollow charged up the blade attempting to strike the root again to get more essence, he strike the root, but no essence came out, but something else did, thoughts

"...Dead remembered...
...Penitent Moth...
...Dreams revered..."

He listened to the thoughts of the root, but what did it mean? In the end he had 20 we essence from this single root, it wasn't enough to fix the blade, but it was enough to make it slightly brighter.

Hollow returned to Seer "Ah, Wielder, you've returned. Let me have a look at the Dream Nail...Hmm You are still unpracticed in the way of dreams. Collect 100 Essence with the Dream Nail visit me again and I will share what little wisdom I have." Seer said as she gave Hollow the blade back, "is there a...faster way to get essences?" Hollow said with a slight frustration "hmm, another way...there Sometimes dreams take the shape of those who have passed away, you must destroy their souls" Seer said with a slight apathy "but... isn't that wrong? We... can't just destroy their...souls, it's disrespectful" Hollow said "but, by destroying their souls, you are freeing them from the chains of this world, moving them on to a more peaceful and pleasent state, now, won't you free them from their suffering?" Hollow was speechless, he had nothing to say about that, so he left without saying a word and continued to look for more essence "You should search carefully near graves and other monuments. Why, I believe I saw an interesting gravestone here in the Resting Grounds. If you do decide to disturb those dreams though, be prepared for a fight..." Seer said as Hollow walked out from the cave entrance, Hollow did not quite catch that, something about a fight, but he didn't bother to come back ,he had to hurry and cure the infected bug, but...what did Seer mean about 'your kin', through out these years Hollow was the only child of his mother and him, he never had siblings, or at least that's what he thought, because back then during those times he wasn't able to speak, so he couldn't ask even if he wanted to, though, he didn't know why, he assumed it was because he was born mute or something, but he wasn't sure, Hollow didn't remember most of his childhood, the one thing he remembered as a child was standing next to him looking down to the white palace from above enjoying the view, he then tilted his head to Hollow, Hollow did the same, they stared at each other for some time, he felt, safe and happy looking into his eyes, empty but full at the same time, Hollow shook off those thoughts and focused on his task, kill err... Free the souls.