The Forgotten Kingdom

Chapter 9

Carina was in inky blackness. She was alone. And she was cold. Where was she? How did she get here? She thought for a moment. The last thing she remembered is talking to Hollow about her past. All the parts she hated about her past. Then... Nothing. She was here. She looked around, and saw a light in the distance. Hoping she wasn't dead she began running towards the light, only to blink when she was in a huge white hall. She looked around. Bugs dressed in nice clothing, also white, had her a little uneasy, only to yelp as someone walked through her. 

The bug in question was only slightly shorter than she was, if you counted the tall crown-like horns on his head. He was heading down a set of stairs. She frowned and followed. There was a faint slithering sound as he moved. A Wyrm. She nearly stopped moving as she realized this was probably the old King of Hallownest. The Pale King. An imposing and reclusive Wyrm, who shed his shell, becoming a god in the eyes of the bugs of hallowest. She followed him down to a small hidden nursery, his Queen, The White Lady, a rare Root. 

She sat on the chair, a music box playing softly. Two eggs sat in the crib, their shells smooth, black, and glossy enough to be a mirror, which was slowly becoming cracked. The eggs were hatching. Explaining the kings hurry. The first egg cracked open, bits of shell clattering to the floor as a small head lifted, curled horns arching towards each other, white face and empty black eyes. "A runt. Again." The Pale Kings voice was dripping with anger. The other egg opened more slowly. A familiar set of horns slowly rising from the black inside the egg. 

The Pale King leaned in closer, staring at the newly hatched bug, who turned slightly to stare back. It tilted its head, and the king nods. "This is it. This is the one that will save our kingdom. The Pure Vessel." The young bug slowly climbed out of its shell, the other hatchling was staring at a root The White Lady had reached out to it, stroking its cheek. "Good. And what of this one?" She turned to her husband. Wondering for the other child's future. "You know what must be done with failed vessels my dear, they can become a potential danger if not dealt with." The Pale Kings voice hid a dark tone, picking up the other child. 

"Come Vessel." He turned, walking away, the so called 'Pure Vessel' following him. The white lady sighed. "Poor child... What monstrous things my husband has done, just so he can achieve another." 

Carina's head swam as the vision blurred, and disappeared. That had to have been Hollow. There was no mistaking the striking horns. Hollow had been the 'Pure Vessel'. But what was the 'Pure Vessel'? And why had the king been so desperate to get it? Another light appeared in the distance. She would be doing a lot of running apparently. Shaking her head she heads for the memory, finding the next place to be dirty, and grey, a large doorway leading to... somewhere dark. The Pale King approached, Hollow and the other child at his side. He walked through the door, beckoning the other child closer, then, glaring, he picked it up, and threw it off the platform. Carina covered her mouth, Hollow looking down from the edge of the platform, then back at the king. 

"Do not disappoint me and you will not end up down there. You have one purpose. To be The Hollow Knight. And to bear the burden of sealing The Radiance, so it cannot taint our kingdom anymore." He turned to leave the room, and Hollow and carina looked back, Carinas throat tightening as she saw the child had somehow made it back up, tiny hands gripping at the edges of the platform. Hollow stared at them for a moment, before turning and following the king, a great stone door appearing over the door, sealing them in. Carina felt sick, darting over to help the child, but her hand phased through them and they fell, the memory going black again. 

"Oh Hollow..." She frowned, standing, looking and heading towards another memory. This memory was of an older Hollow, wielding a nail, slicing at training dummies, The Pale King looking on, time seemed to fast forward, hollow growing before her eyes, here, attacking the same training dummy. For years. Until one day, the king stopped him. "It's time Hollow. Time to take your place as the kingdoms savior. Come." He turned, Hollow putting away his nail and following him. Carina frowned a little, following as they went somewhere far above the palace. A temple. Four bugs stood at the entrance, waiting. The king nods to them as Hollow entered the large black hold built inside the temple. The king nods again and raises his hands. 

Large white wings spread from his back, ancient magic filling the air, chains shot out, surrounding Hollow, runes glowing around them, three of the bugs began to glow, one of them removing her mask, handing it to a younger bug beside her, pointing to the exit. he nods, placing the mask on his head, walking away. The three began to leave as a large stone door appeared over Hollows prison. Three masks, identical glowed on the door. And an unearthly screech sounded behind the door. A seal. Carina frowned, the memory fading again. She stood there, in shock. 

The Pale King had sentenced his own child to be locked away, sealing away an entity that was too powerful. She knew of The Radiance. The Moths had been known to worship its brilliant light. She looked up as another memory formed. A sickly orange glow. She walked numbly towards it, feeling sick. She was inside the temple. She couldn't tell how much time had passed.  Hollow was suspended in his chains, limp, and silent, almost like he was dead. Carina reached out, it was so cold in this prison. 

Then she jumped back as Hollow roared, body arching as his eyes glowed orange. The Radiance was trying to escape. A sick, sweet scent filled the air. An infection. She frowned, watching as time passed. Years. And as time passed, Hollows body became overrun with the infection, his shell splitting, thick balloons of the infectious fluid bursting from him, tearing his chest open, his arm falling to the ground, twitching as it died. 

Hollow shuddered, feeling nothing but pain as his body was torn apart from the inside out. Carina wanted to help so badly. And then. The timelapse stopped. Hollow was surrounded by plants created from the infection. The plants began to slowly die, the infection filling hollow dying and receding, thick black blood oozing from his wounds, no. It wasn't blood. Carina recoiled. It was void. 

The chains holding Hollow broke, and he hit the ground hard. He stood slowly, the door opening, the memory fading as he started walking slowly towards the exit, using his nail for support. Carina frowned. Once again in the dark. She felt sick. Hollow had suffered so much. Used as a tool. That was utterly destroyed, failing to complete the only thing he had been created to do. No wonder he wanted to forget. 

Her head began to swim, she closed her eyes, willing the dizzy spell away. When she opened her eyes again, she was there, on the bench with Hollow. The tall bug stared at her. She stared back, then felt a few tears roll down her face as she reached up, touching his cheek. "I'm so sorry Hollow..." He nods slowly. Reaching up and wiping away the tears, then pulling her into the best hug he could manage. She hugged him tight, and he let out a soft sigh, relaxing. He felt... Lighter. Knowing that she knew. Knowing that she understood, and was willing to still be there. Comforting him.

He looked up when she released him, standing. He froze to his seat when she gently kissed him between the eyes. She smiled. "I hope that you never have to go through something like that ever again. You deserve so much more." She walked away, heading back inside, leaving Hollow to sit and think, staring at the garden in front of him.