My Post Infection AU [Hollow Knight]

Part 3: Where the Geo Piles Up

"I could ask you the same question, stranger."

"I am no stranger here, I thought I told you that already." Vessel contradicts, "I am the Foolish One."

Several people murmured at hearing this title, they seemed excited. The wave of murmurs that passed through the crowd reminded Vessel of the many fights she had won here.

"If you claim to have a high enough skill to a title here you are gravely mistaken. If you wish to prove yourself you must face me." the new lord slammed his fists on the sides of the throne, enraged at Vessel's boldness.

"Oh, but it is rude to duel someone without knowing their name." Vessel is prepared to fight, enraging her opponent to hone their strength but slow them down was a tactic she had learned from several people. Through dance lessons.

"I am the strongest wyrm of all! The last of my kind! I am Crydon, Master of this Colosseum! How dare you oppose me!"

Vessel steps inside and the gates snap shut behind her, "then let it be wyrm on wyrm, nail on void."

The crowd roars with excitement at Crydon jumped off his throne, landing before Vessel.

"You are bold to make such claims. I see now this will be an easy victory, you haven't even a nail."

"Eh, don't exactly need one." Vessel says as they circle one another, carefully examining the other's movement. Vessel immediately noted how Crydon drags his nail behind him and a slight limp on his left side. Must have been in quite a few fights before with a newer heavier nail with than the one he was used to.

Crydon lunged at her and she jumped landing lightly on top of him before casting a spell, descending dark, diving to the ground. Her adversary barely shifted out of the way in time but was still hit with the recoil that shook the ground.

He lunged at her again, trying to strike while she readjusted after the spell but missed when Vessel stepped lightly out of the way and turned to avoid the strokes from his nail. Almost like this was a dance rather than an actual fight. Looks like those dance lessons paid off though :)

The crowd was roaring, and even a few whistles were heard as the fighters movements seemed to parallel one another. Vessel had tried to grab his nail a few times only for Crydon to dash backwards, trying to throw her off step. Unfortunately she was used to fighting people with sudden backwards movements, and it was rather hard to tell she had been dead for so long because the only thing Vessel seemed to be missing was a nail to strike her enemy with. This was because when she was killed, Vessel was in top fighting condition and had no real recollection of what happened after she fell. The only major difference was her extra arms and being a little taller. She also had all her arms behind her back to add to Crydon's rage.

This strategy appeared to be working because his movements were slowing down and his nail was pretty much being dug into the ground with every stroke. Eventually his breath was uneven from swinging so much and his nail fell into the ground with a noticeable dent. Vessel took the opportunity to step up onto the base of handle and kick Crydon in the face, knocking him across the floor and Vessel grabbed his nail's handle managing to twist it around to point it at him before landing.

The crowd's cheers thunder around the arena, like Crydon was already dead or had surrendered. They went silent as he shakily stood up.

"How does a wyrm fight so well for having been found only a few days before?" Crydon asks her.

"I fight with the united strength of the void and light, as well as for my people." Vessel threatens pointing his nail at him. "If you wish to harm my people, you must always go through me to pay for your crimes."