City of Tears

Few things happened, I first defeated this big fat knight looking dude and then I found a snail shaman and he taught me my first spell. I learned how to use the vengeful spirit move which launches a white ball of soul energy at whoever I'm aiming at. 

I also came across a bug about my size named Zote the mighty, he talked too much and didn't even thank me for saving him from a giant fly that was trying to eat him. Zote ran off to who knows where and I have a feeling I'll run into him again down the line if I remember right. 

I finally found my way to Greenpath, it was fully of plant life but also a lot of acidic water I had to be mindful of. I explored around and got more coins while also dealing with more infected bugs.

Along my exploration I also saw who I assumed to be a female bug named Hornet in her red cloak, she ran away before I could say anything... then again I still can't speak so it wouldn't have mattered. 

I keep moving through Greenpath as I search for where she ran off too. I also found Cornifer again and got another map from him of this new area. Eventually I found my way into a room where at last I caught up with Hornet, as I walked into the room she took out her nail and pointed it at me threateningly. 

"Come no closer, Ghost"

She spoke as I now remember it was her who gave the Ghost nickname to the MC, or I guess me now. 

"I've seen you creeping through the undergrowth, stalking me"

Well I wouldn't say I was stalking... just searching for someone. 

"This old Kingdom... a terrible thing awakens, I can smell it in the air" 

I mainly smell the acid of the waters in this place... wait how can I smell in this form? 

"I know what you are, I know what you'd try to do. I can't allow it" 

She then got into a stance as I take my nail out and we begin our duel, while I'm no master of the blade or anything I've been able to become decent at using my weapon through trail and error. 

We clash weapons and trade blows, she hits me a few times before I jump back. Hornet was definitely more skilled than me with a weapon so I decided to switch tactics as I blast her with a ball of soul energy.

She gets pushed back from the blast before she throws her nail as I dodge it, I move out of the way as she pulls it back to her with a string she attached to her weapon. 

She dashes me as I dash her, I leap behind her and get a few slashes in before she swings some sharp string around that cuts at me and I push her away with another soul energy blast. 

We dance for a bit as we trade attacks and it felt like... she was almost going easy on me? I felt like she wasn't going all out despite her talk earlier. Her skill was greater than mine but despite this I was a quick learner and was able to start getting a rhythm for fighting her. 

I move quick on my feet and am able to get more hits off on her but she gives me more too, I bash her away as she takes a moment to catch her breath so I do the same and use some soul energy to heal myself while I can. 

 "SHAW!"

She tosses her needle again as I parry it with my nail, she pulls her needle with some string but this time instead of bringing it back to her she swings it like a whip at me and slashes me across the face. 

Hornet swings the needle on string like a whip again as I dodge it and fire another vengeful spirit off. She dodges my blast and returns her needle to her hands as she pounces at me and I duck under her, I avoid another wave of her sharp string before blasting her into the wall with another vengeful spirit. 

She trips me with some string I didn't notice she planted as she then takes the chance to slam me with her needle into the other wall. She does a charge using her needle like a lance but I leap over her and slash her with my nail while she's under me before I do a final vengeful spirit that blasts her back onto her knees. 

I'd pant if I could but she seems to be the one panting a bit, Hornet gives me this look before using some string to swing away as if she was Spider-Man. After she leaves a nearby corpse falls over as I look over to notice it. 

The corpse appeared to be that of one of my kin... poor thing. I walk over and pick up what it dropped to see the mothwing cloak, I put the cloak on and test it out as I do a quick dash across the room. 

This will definitely help me move around quicker and dodge faster in fights. As I'm testing out my new dashes an invisible force brings me to my knees as I can hear voices speaking. 

"Would it seek to break the Seals?" 

"They cannot be undone" 

"the must be undone" 

I hear the voices get louder

"Let us sleep little shadow, return to your darkness and allow us our peace" 

I then see 3 ghost-like figures appear floating before me as I see a bright light and black out. I wake up later to find myself in the same room as before. 

Well that was weird... anyways, I'll deal with the Seal stuff later on. For now I continue my exploration as I keep moving forward through the place. 

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*Time skip*

I explored more of that area and a neighboring one and I even had found the last stag Beatle who I could use like a train if I find more stag stations to get between areas faster. 

After exploring around and getting more money I even bought a few more charms, sometime after I found a place called the queen's station and found a new direction to travel in after finding a lever to open a door. 

As I pass through and deal with some enemy bugs I begin to hear... the sound of rain. I move over to a window to see the outside view of a whole city being blanketed by rain... it was beautiful. 

The City of Tears

Rain was always nostalgic for me, I loved rainy weather the most as a kid whether I was playing it in or simply watching and listening to it. I was now arriving in the City of Tears, I could almost hear the peaceful music I remembered playing in this part of the game. 

I come across a bench and meet Quirrel again as I rest on the bench next to him and update my maps. Quirrel as a fellow explorer full of wanderlust like me in a way so we would meet many more times as we both traveled I'm sure. 

After we talk a bit... well more specifically he talks and I listen while taking a breather, I then move onwards and take an elevator that brings me to the outside area of the city. 

As I started exploring I came across the Nailsmith who I payed a decent about of money for him to sharpen my dull blade for me, making my nail more sharp and tough now. He even said if I find a metal called pale ore and bring it to him that he can strengthen my nail and make it even stronger than before!

I am definitely putting that on my bucket list while here, I wanna make my weapon as strong and sharp as I can. I thank him with a little bow as I leave to continue exploring back at the city. The rain sprinkles on my skin-erm shell? My exoskeleton as I walk through the wet and clam environment. 

I eventually make my way to what I think is the center of the city as I see a tall statue of the Hollow Knight in the middle of the place as rain blankets it. I then hear a sound as I see Hornet swing in with some string and land right in front of me as she makes a small splash on a puddle. 

She stands up and looks at me before speaking in her voice that I swear almost sounds British for some reason. 

"Again we meet little Ghost"

I make a gesture to my nail trying to use body language to ask if we are gonna fight again, she responds with a head shake before speaking more. 

"No, I'm normally quite perceptive, you however I've underestimated... thought I've since guessed the truth" 

She walks a little closer

"You've seen beyond this kingdom's bounds, yours is a resilience born of two voids"

Two voids? I wonder what she means by that? Hornet continues. 

"It's no surprise then that you've managed to reach the heart of this world. In so doing, you shall know the sacrifice that keeps it standing" 

She then turns around before saying

"If knowing the truth you'd still attempt a role in Hollownest's perpetuation, seek the grave in ash and the mark it would grant to one like you"

Hornet swings off once again as I'm left looking at the memorial statue of the Hollow Knight, after which I head back and use I key I got to open up a sewer lid as I travel under into the royal water ways underground of the city. 

I travel and explore the water ways in this dark area, eventually I hear sounds that sound... Jolly? I keep moving through the place to the sound as I see a room covered in what looks like... waste... ugh. 

I enter the room as something shakes underground and I see a large orange bug leap out of the ground before batting his chest with a battle cry! 

This was the Dung Defender 

"Doma DOMA!"

He grabs some dung that he forms into balls as he launches them at me and I dash under them, I slash at him as he dives under ground and swims in the dung at me as he bashes me back.

He goes under before jumping up and tossing more dung balls at me as I dodge them and fire two vengeful spirt blasts at him. He tanks them before tossing a few more dung balls that I dodge before I leap over him and hit him while he's trying to swim at me. 

Some of his dung balls ricochet around the room as I get hit by one but avoid the rest and slash the orange Beatle a few more times with my nail. He tosses a dung ball as I fire a vengeful spirit and the attacks collide making a little explosion of dung. 

The Dung Defender then rolls himself into a ball and shoots himself around the room like a bouncy ball as I dash over and under him while getting hits where I could. I get him knocked on his back and slash into him more before he gets up and punches me away. 

We trade blows and attacks for a little longer until I spam him with as many vengeful spirits in a row as I can muster getting him on his back again. I take this chance to dash over and slash him multiple times until I finally beat him as an explosion of dung sends him flying into the back of the room. 

I pick up a defenders crest that he dropped before moving into the back and hitting a lever to pump some water to an upper level. I then break open a brittle wall to move into the next area as I keep exploring. 

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I doubled back to the dung room to check something and the Dung Defender was still there, he was actually a pretty chill guy and apologized for attacking me earlier cause he assumed I was a mindless husk like the infected.

I apparently proved him wrong with how I bested him in the most majestic knightly fashion, he had a fun energy to him I'll admit that was infectious. He even thanked me for the fight because it had been awhile since he had fought in such an invigorating way like that. 

I later leave him to continue wandering as I felt energized and happy thanks to our encounter. Feels cool to fight someone who puts some respect on your strength. 

After exploring around a bit more I make my way back to dirtmouth through a stag station as I sit down on that bench once again to rest. 

I fill in my map I got and take a look at my charms before I lay down to take it easy until I go back in the fray. It's only gonna get tougher from here so I best be prepared for what's to come, I know I'll be able to manage though.

Despite my soul of literally nothing I still have the indomitable human spirt after all baby. For what that is worth at least anyways... I think it's worth something at least. 

I fiddle with my charms I have on as I stim with them a bit, seems even in this body I still have tendency's I carried over cause of stuff like my ASD and all.

For now I got to recharge myself mentally before I head off into the next area I'll begin wandering around, eventually I'm gonna get what I need to finally be free.

I wonder if I'll be able to take any of the stuff I'm getting with me once I find a way to leave? I sure hope so cause I've put a lot of work into this map and getting my charms and I'd like to keep them even if just as memento's of my adventure here. 

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*To be continued*