Little Shadows - Hollow Knight AU

Chapter 03 - Pain

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At first, everything was numb. The kind of numbness that makes you feel so empty and cold. That numbness could not last, it was replaced by horrible pain, completely indescribable. Ghost wanted to voice their pains, but that was impossible for them.

Ghost forced themselves to open their eyes. It took them a second to register their surroundings, a soft, blue light was shining at an angle, revealing the rough texture of the ceiling. A shadow came into view, moving so swiftly, yet still graceful. Two voices reached Ghost, one sounded husky and scratched, the other was quiet, the quiet voice occasionally had a higher tone slip through. Both voices spoke an unfamiliar language.

Ghost had no clue how long the two other sentient being spoke, before the husky voice had completely disappeared. It must have left. The quiet one still chattered to itself, moving across the room. Ghost took a sharp breath as they realized it was drawing near them.

The quiet voice returned, sounding surprised, though it still made no sense to Ghost.

"Oh! Forgive me, I forgot you probably do not understand the language of the Deeper...Are you awake?" They spoke but still were not in Ghost's view. "Ah, good Seeir! Do you not speak the language of the Eatters?" Ghost turned their head a little, seeing what had to be the tip of an antenna.

"Seeir! You are awake! Uh-could you move again if you understand me?"

Ghost attempted to get up, but before they could even sit up the little bug was scooped up. A Butterfly met their eyes, gazing in dark eyeholes of their mask intently.

The Butterfly relaxed after a few awkward moments, "Phew, you have not turned into a Reto." The Butterfly sat Ghost down carefully, "I am Xerinam, glad you are not dead, stranger!"

Xerinam waited for a reply with a smile engraved on her face. Her antenna twitched after a minute of silence. "Ah, what is your name?"

Ghost cluelessly moved their hands, Xerinam gasped, "You cannot speak?" The little bug nodded.

"Dear, Seeir, can you write?"

Ghost nodded once more. Xerinam quickly handed them a stick and set Ghost down to write in the dirt.
Ghost wrote their name. "Ghost?" Xerinam made sure she read correctly. Ghost nodded in response.

"Lovely name! Ghost, do you know how to got down here?"

Ghost scribbled, 'I fell.'

"From?"

The little bug thought for a second before covering their last words and writing again, 'a tunnel, running from the Howling Cliffs.'

"The 'Howling Cliffs'? I have never heard of such place."

Ghost asked their own question, 'Where am I?'

"Oh! Well you're in a Sleeping Tunnel, or also called a temporary home. This Sleeping Tunnel is in West Grassroot!"

Ghost looked at Xerinam, she pointed to a wooden door. The little bug scribbled, 'Thank you for helping me. I must go find my friends.'

Xerinam's antennae sprung up, "The Above is not safe! That is the reason you fell down here, the Deeper is much safer! The Above is crawling with Reto!"

Ghost quickly wrote, 'What are 'Reto'?'

"Reto are bugs who have lost their minds, or died, they are over taken by the Sickness, their eyes turn orange and they attack everyone, due to the fact they cannot even recognize themselves."

Ghost realized she was talking about the Infection and the Infected. It was odd to hear them called different things. Xerinam's antennae pressed against her head. She added, "I also do not know how to get you back to the Above. The tunnels I found you in had collapsed."

The little bug's heart dropped. Ghost could not believe it, they were lost, separated from everyone they cared about.

Xerinam seemed to have sensed their sadness, she gently resting one of her hands on Ghost's head. The Butterfly's voice dropped, "Okay, I will help you get back to the Above. Even if it's filled with Eatters and Reto."

Ghost looked up at her and then turned back to the dirt, writing, 'Thank you!'

"But! We cannot leave yet! There are many things we must attend to...and getting past the Protecters will be rather difficult."

The little bug nodded, they reached for their nail on the holster, only to be met by an empty holster. Ghost quickly stood, ignoring the sharp pain, looking around wildly for their nail. They frantically wrote, 'Have you seen my nail?'

"Nail? Is a 'nail' like this?" Xerinam shifted under her cloak and brought a needle style nail out into the soft light. Ghost nodded. The Butterfly slowly blinked while scouring her memory, "Yes, I found you with it," she opened a chest, "here it is!" Xerinam pulled out Ghost's nail and carefully handed it to them.

Ghost examined their weapon, no cracks nor chips, their blade still held as strong as ever. The little bug let out a sigh of relief.

Xerinam smiled, "Stay here, I must get something for you!" She dashed through the door leaving Ghost to stare at the source of the blue light.

The little bug turned to the lantern admitting the soft light, the tiny bugs inside looked like Fireflies-apart from them glowing blue instead of a yellow-ish orange color.

Only a few minutes slipped by before Xerinam slipped back in, she handed Ghost a neatly fold cloak, "You are going to have to wear that, you look too much like an Eatter!"

Ghost nodded and took the cloak, they removed their old one and replaced it with the new, deep green cloak, this new one dropped to their feet and had a hood, Xerinam pulled the hood over the little bug's horns, she beamed, "Now you look like a Deeper!"

Ghost fidgeted with the fabric until it fit comfortably, they disliked how it dragged on the ground a little.

The little bug slid their nail back inside it's holster, they looked at Xerinam. The Butterfly gave them a thumbs up, "The Protecters shouldn't attack you now!" She seemed to always have a lot of enthusiasm-and Ghost was not going to complain about that, in fact they enjoyed her energy.

Xerinam fixed her own hood, "Now we can exit the Sleeping Tunnel, Oh! I almost forget to get the lantern!" She scooped up the blue lantern and beaconed Ghost to open the door.

Ghost grabbed the handle and prepared themself for whatever may lay just beyond this door. A few thoughts ran through their mind, there are more civilizations! There's so much more outside of the Hallownest!

The little bug opened the door and jumped outside.
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I am going to try and publish a chapter every 5-8 days thanks for your patience!
Good stars I have too much fun writing this!

Xerinam is just a bundle of energy, but this Butterfly is not all shes cracked up to be.

Thank for 38 reads MY STARS I APPRECIATE THAT (I never expected to get this many reads ;w;)
Have a wonderful day/night/morning/afternoon!
-Grey