#🪲 verse | post embrace the void

[abyssembraced]

(Plotted starter for @succiduxus!)

They had been trapped in this realm for an uncountable length of time. The Godseeker had claimed this was where they belonged now, in this Home of the Gods, to be attuned to and ascended by their ever-loyal followers and worshippers.

They had helped her and her people, she said. Saved them. Brought to them the “God of Gods” they had been searching for for all their lives.

They were an ascended deity now. The Lord of Shades. The Void united and given focus through divine ritual. Though they had split off from their siblings after defeating the Light at the height of her strength, manifesting themself in their familiar, miniscule form as the excess Void laid dormant in the pits of Godhome, their divine power and control over the substance remained. This place was where they were meant to stay.

...

They didn't want to.

The Godseekers offered praise and adoration, but little in the way of companionship. One would think that, given their past as a lone traveller, they would be accustomed to such solitude, yet they found themself becoming... Lonely. They longed to see their friends again. They were the Ghost of Hallownest, as their sister had once dubbed them, not Godhome's ultimate God of Gods.

Yet, no matter how hard they tried to cut themself free from this dream, nothing seemed to work. Normally, their Dream Nail allowed them to traverse between the realms of waking and sleep with ease, but this time the tool apparently proved insufficient. Sometime after their ascension and subsequent (accidental) destruction of the original Godhome, the nail had lost its Awoken status, and the essence once contained within the blade had scattered out across the Dream Realm. Perhaps that was the reason they were now trapped in here? With no knowledge of what had occurred in Hallownest following the defeat of the Absolute Radiance at the Pantheon's peak, Ghost didn't understand what was so different about this reconstructed Godhome compared to any other dream.

Still, they needed to keep trying. With enough persistence, maybe eventually they would create an opportunity to break free from this land, or at least find a way to contact someone from the outside world.

...Wait. Though most of the “gods” they'd faced in the Pantheons were merely illusory constructs—stronger imitations of the opponents they'd slain in Hallownest, summoned only to fight—perhaps some of them had truly been alive, aware. Ghost recalled their battles with Sister Hornet, and the inner thoughts her mind had relinquished to them in the moments she had staggered and stopped to catch her breath.

“...Do they watch us struggle?..”

“Little Ghost... What dreams we share...”

“Do you haunt my dreams... Or I yours?”

Maybe... If the real Sister Hornet was truly aware of and remembered their dream battles, maybe she would be able to help them.

With that thought in mind, Ghost dashed over to Godhome's Hall of Gods, paying no heed to the Godseekers that bowed to them as they passed. There, they could contact Sister Hornet directly, without any need to scale one of the Pantheons beforehand. Standing in front of the Sentinel's statue, they drew their nail in a stance that signified a challenge, transporting them to the arena at the sound of a bell's chime.

Though it retained Godhome's signature architecture, the battlefield was also littered with piles of ash, reminiscent of the clearing in Kingdom's Edge where Ghost had once fought Sister Hornet in a similar battle. Crowds of smaller Godseekers surrounded the arena on all sides, eager eyes watching the two combatants' every move as they waited for the battle to begin. Among them, sitting high above on her golden throne, was the Seekers' leader, leaning forward in anticipation, surely expecting a glorious fight between her “God of Gods” and their demigoddess sister.

However, this time the Godseekers would not be getting the grand battle they craved. Ghost would have preferred that they not be here spectating at all, but there wasn't anything they could do about that. So, they simply ignored the audience, just as they had done in the Pantheons, and focused entirely on their sister as she dropped into the arena from above.

Rather than draw their nail and fight, as they normally would have done, Ghost took it and tossed it to the side. They looked back at the other expectantly. If this was the real Sister Hornet and not one of Godhome's simulations, then surely she would take notice of their behaviour and cease to attack, right? The action left them vulnerable and would put them in a dangerous situation should their attempt at communication fail, but it was a risk they needed to take. Besides, even if they were to perish, they knew that they would simply wake up in front of the statue anyway, as though the encounter had never happened at all.

[abyssembraced]

Returning to the Abyss… Without a doubt, that would be a difficult task. Even ignoring the fact that the Entity's complete form was far too large to properly traverse Hallownest's winding tunnels, how would they do so without harming their surroundings? They certainly couldn't remain here in the Junk Pit, but leaving would render their struggle to get their powers under control nearly pointless!

…Perhaps they could attempt to seep down into the Abyss through the floor..? Would that work?

As Ghost mused on what to do next, they witnessed the serpent shapeshift back into the form they were more familiar with. Well, that answered that question, at least.

Wait, what did she say? The stranger—no, the friend? Friend Noir? She… Claimed she could transport them?

Given how much she had already helped them, they were inclined to trust her.

And… Their new friend was Void, at least of some sort, too. Now that they could truly focus on her, Ghost could sense it through their Heart. A substance familiar yet foreign, interwoven with the core of her being. As she said, her Void was different from their own and that of Hallownest's. However, perhaps it was still possible for them to request actions from her, as they could with the Shades.

So, through their own core, Ghost reached out toward that Void they felt, attempting to establish a connection between it and themself. It was more difficult than usual to properly grasp those strands of empty darkness; the differing forms of Void appeared to struggle to fully mix. Still, though tenuous, a slight link finally seemed to form between the two, and thus Void Heart glowed once more as Ghost cast out their telepathic command:

« GO TO ABYSS »

While she already seemed to have some sort of idea of where they needed to go, they wanted to make their desired destination completely clear.

But, just in case their message failed to reach its intended recipient, Ghost nodded the great Entity's head in response to Friend Noir's question. For added emphasis, one of Its four arms pointed downward as well.

Progressing step be step, the lessons his sister had taught him are put to use to keep the repressive void at bay until they recede on their own. As they do so, Divo's own electric light is finally exhausted and the little whelp gives a small sigh. Slumping against a tunnel wall he takes a moment to catch his breath and think about how he's going to make his way down.

Well, until something is bunting it's head against him curiously, having followed the shadows of regret up from the depths out of pure curiosity.

Back in the junk pit, as the unified godling collects themselves and finally calms, the lindwurm loosens her coils. Eyes across her body close, leaving only the seven colored one on her face watching them. Seems consuming that excess emotional overload was the right move after all. "...There you go, Little Ones..." Clearly, her attention turns to the entity's core; Ghost themselves. "Lot better now without all that panic, hm? You're doing amazing with this, so far."

Noir gives a small purr, before shifting back to a smaller form to allow the Void Given Focus more room and staying floating in place. "Name's Noir; guess you could say you and I are similar kinds of gods. Even if my brand of void is much more vast than that here in Hallownest."

"My brother and I heard your calls and figured we'd check things out. Seems good that we did." There's a small chuff, her own shadow-bound eyes finally locating that pit of regret that might very well produce a form of void itself. "You lot're from deeper down, right? You wanna head in that direction so you have more room? I can handle getting us there."

[abyssembraced]

So you know that reference image with Ghost's Shade/Void form I posted a long while back that I really need to redo?

There's that form in the top left where Ghost has their 'stable' body but no mask, which I said wasn't actually a form they could take.

I've changed my mind on that and found a use for that form! It's the appearance Ghost eventually takes in their Post Embrace the Void verse.

Upon ascending, Void Heart's control over Void becomes powerful enough that Ghost no longer needs a vessel to stabilize their body. Void Heart can do that job all on its own, without issues or any drawbacks (e.g., strong emotions from Ghost will not disrupt Void Heart's control once they've ascended). So, Ghost doesn't actually need their mask anymore! The only reason they'd wear one would be to make them seem more bug-like and less intimidating to mortal bugs.

Unlike in the reference pic though, Ghost does still have their wings (cloak) in this form. They might just be Void Tendrils that Ghost shortened for convenience (and thus be completely black), or I might make them the same grey that they are in Ghost's masked form, since going by these sprites of Pure Vessel's teleporting animation, it seems like the Vessels' cloaks become un-Voided more easily than the rest of their bodies. I haven't decided yet

Regardless, Ghost can grow the 'cloak' (and their arms) out into full tendrils when needed (becoming their Shade/Void form).

Also their Void Heart markings would still be glowing white, like in their Shade/Void form

[abyssembraced]

((Oh also, one thing before I go to bed:

I believe that the Delicate Flower version of the Embrace the Void ending directly leads into Godseeker mode. Since, given the unique dialogue you get in there...

It only makes sense for the Godseeker to say this after she has encountered the Lord of Shades.

So, after Ghost overextends their power upon ascending to full godhood, both the Godseeker's and Ghost's physical bodies are absorbed by the Delicate Flower. Similarly to my crossover au, this leaves both of their minds trapped in the Dream Realm/the Void-infested Godhome, in this weird state of existing and yet not existing.

Eventually, Ghost gets a better grasp on all their new power, and is able to compress themselves back into their pre-ascension form. Since they're all in the Dream Realm, the Godseeker can recreate Godhome, where Ghost is free to continue challenging the Pantheons and the Hall of Gods to their heart's content for the rest of eternity.

The Godseeker is thrilled, having finally found the God of Gods she had been seeking for all this time. Ghost, however... Not so much.

[abyssembraced]

" i'm gonna prank brumm ,, wanna help ? "

-tiny grimbo uses words . to cause chaos

A prank?

The ever-energetic young Grimmchild was quite fond of such things, Ghost had come to find. They had even been the victim of one themself, once, in a... More explosive trip to Fog Canyon than they would have liked. At least, their friend had claimed their firing on the Oomas to be a prank, anyway—Ghost was still more inclined to consider it a lapse in judgement.

So... 'Bestie' Grimmchild (as they had once requested to be called) now sought to perform yet another one of their pranks on Friend Brumm? And... They wanted them to join in on it, too.

The Lord of Shades looked up at the Scarlet Heart's intended vessel, and, slowly, gave one nod of their head.

They weren't exactly sure how the other intended for them to contribute, but being present for it felt like the right thing to do. Though they had long since grown past their initial hatchling state and was far from defenceless these days, Friend Grimm was still counting on them to be Bestie Grimmchild's guardian and keep them from harm.

Which wasn't to say that they expected Friend Brumm to actually hurt the child. The musician was generally willing to put up with their antics, if only due to their relation to his master if nothing else. It wasn't like attempting to prank, say, Sister Hornet, which Ghost could certainly see resulting in cuts and bruises if the attempt went particularly awful.

Regardless, they had already agreed to assist in the prank. They kept their gaze on the other, awaiting further instructions or information on whatever scheme it was that Bestie Grimmchild had planned. There was no need to prompt them; being the chattier of the duo, Ghost already knew that their friend would surely pipe back up on their own after the silent response to their question.

[abyssembraced]

The Hollow Knight... The Pure Vessel designed and chosen to contain the entirety of the Infection and the furious goddess who caused its spread within their body. The Vessel who had failed in that forced duty, and who they had once been ordered to dispose of and replace.

Sibling Hollow.

They were family, united in blood and Void, yet Ghost barely knew them. To even learn that the other still lived after the Forgotten Light's destruction had been a surprise to them, though not an unwelcome one.

They remembered, vaguely, of a time long since passed, of moments spent together in the dark abyss of their birthplace. Of a Pale, white beacon shining somewhere far above. Of an arduous climb to reach it. Of a whispering voice echoing in their unformed mind as they did. Of their sibling getting there first. Of a poorly made jump at the very end, and their grip slipping from that final platform. Of the fall. Of crashing back down into the broken shells of their lifeless kin. Of another attempt, later, that they did not fail.

But that was so long ago now. It mattered little to the present.

They best recalled their appearance in the Pantheon: that peerless, immensely skilled master of nail and SOUL whose might was rivalled only by the very strongest opponents Hallownest had to offer. One of the few who were truly worthy of that Seeker's title of God. A truly thrilling combatant to face, and one they would have greatly enjoyed battling against again.

But Sibling Hollow—the real one—was not like that. They were injured. They rarely moved. They would not fight. They could not fight?

They were... Sad? 

Why were they hurt? Why did they not heal?

Void was fluid. Flexible, strong. It could be hurt, but It would always bounce right back, filling in gaps like water. Its form may falter, but so long as It had a stabilizing force, It would survive. And all It needed was enough Focus to heal Its wounds.

Sibling Hollow was Void. Perhaps not as tightly entwined with it as they were, but they could feel that emptiness that filled them nonetheless.

Why were they still hurt?

They didn't understand.

But Sibling Hollow patted the spot on the bed, and Ghost climbed up to sit beside them.

Did they want something? Need anything? Why had they been beckoned up? Yet aside from that one motion, Sibling Hollow hardly moved.

Ghost didn't understand, but they would stay.

The little Vessel sat in silence with their sibling for a short while, deciding to attempt meditation, as Father Mato so enjoyed. Eventually, however, they did grow bored of simply sitting around. They wanted to do something! ...But they didn't want to just leave Sibling Hollow behind, either.

Maybe... They could do something that would help Sibling Hollow?

So, remaining seated, Ghost took out one of their maps that they had since repurchased from Friend Cornifer. First, they identified the destination they sought, then studied the required path they'd need to take to get there.

It was a bit of a walk, but... It was worth a shot.

Leaping down from the bed and clutching their map in one hand, they used their other to tug on Sibling Hollow's cloak once more, a bit more forcefully this time. More insistent. The markings of their Void Heart that now always shone across Ghost's body glowed even brighter for a brief moment as the Lord of Shades sent the taller Vessel a simple request.

« COME »

« WALK »

Not a spar; just a walk.

@abyssembraced like for an angsty starter !!

they are tired . so tired .

their joints ache with empty pain , their body cries out for them to sit still . that is the last thing they want to do . stilling means sleep . sleep means dream . and dreaming is something they want to forget . discard . never do again . but yet , with their weakened state they find themself further enchanted by its allure .

hornet says they are free to do as they please now . she is wrong . they would like to move . to spar . to visit the circus down the street . but their body says no . it feels no different than being chained within the egg , though now they are forced to watch out those around them live out their lives in practiced simplicity , hollow wishes they were simple .

even as their sibling comes along , so small but so durable , tugging at the hem of their cloak as it brushes the ground , hollow knows they must disappoint ghost .

it's a request , they know . a simple one , but one hollow is incapable of filling , nonetheless . they shake their head . they would like to play . they would like spar , greatly . they miss their nail . miss the comfort it brought , the feeling of life it gave them . the pattern of the metal is embedded into their hand , but they are far too weak now hold it steady . they wish they could give their sibling this , to even begin to pave a way to salvation and forgiveness . but that is impossible , they think . the could not even read to their sibling if desired ; their very existence is against them . they know .

hornet tells them they are free to do as they please . she is wrong .

i wish i could play , but i cannot . they want to say . i am sorry , they want to say . but they cannot .

so they shake their head . they are disappointing they know , disappointing everyone . they cannot offer much from where they lay , useless . though , hollow pats the bed beside them , offering their tinier sibling a spot beside them - to welcome them .

[abyssembraced]

Physical contact was... A rather foreign concept to Ghost. Often, when their shell was touched, it was done with the intent to hurt. Foes charging at them in the heat of battle, brandishing weapons or claws or just the weight of their bodies.

Friendlier faces, meanwhile, typically kept their distance. Those ones did not Touch, and instead would maintain a certain level of space between them as they spoke.

But this..?

Sister Hornet was more than capable of causing harm, if she wished. That was something Ghost knew quite well first-hand. She was a highly skilled combatant, which made their battles with her quite exhilarating! They knew she had slain many a foe with her deadly needle and silken thread.

As she placed her hand upon their mask, however...

It was Touch, but it was... Gentle? It did not harm them. The experience was new to them, but not unpleasant.

Then she tapped their horn, and Sister Hornet whispered another question to them. Ghost glanced up at her, not letting go of her cloak just yet. They nodded once more. Technically, no, they had not been trapped in this arena specifically, but particular details like that mattered little. What was important was that they had been imprisoned within the new Godhome since the Radiance's demise.

Seeing as Sister Hornet had already breached the topic herself, it seemed as though now was the time to get down to business. They reached for the maps and quill that they kept safely tucked away inside the Void of their body, and—

...Ah, yes, that was another thing that had been lost to them after their ascension.

How else, then, to convey their thoughts?

Looking around the arena, Ghost spied the piles of ash scattered about the floor of the battlefield. The decor's intention was to call to mind the environment of Kingdom's Edge, but perhaps it could also serve a more practical use in this moment.

Stepping back from their sister, they held up one hand, signalling her to wait. Then, after retrieving their discarded nail, they got to work etching Hallownest's script in the dust.

H-E-L-P

That one word alone did little to explain their problem, though. Perhaps it would be best to add something more? Ghost approached a second pile of ash, and began writing again.

S-T-U-C-K

As they walked around the arena, they stole a brief glimpse at the crowd of spectators above them. The lead Godseeker in particular was watching their every movement with an attentive eye. She always did that, when they fought here. Could she read their messages from where she sat? They weren't sure. Perhaps it would be for the best if she couldn't. She was so happy to have them here… They weren't sure how well she'd react to their attempts to escape.

It didn't matter. They wanted out of this place, and for that to happen Sister Hornet needed to see their messages. Ghost wrote one last word in yet another ash pile, then turned back to their sister, awaiting her response.

D-R-E-A-M

as her sibling took her cloak between their tiny claws , worrying against the fabric , she knew this was no faux . the nod was not needed , but appreciated it nonetheless . she slowly returned her needle to its resting place across her back , before resting a tarsus atop the voidspawns head .

" i've missed you . "

it was so unlike her to say , even she knew . she wasn't the most affectionate of bugs , but after wondering and worrying for months , she couldn't help but think her sibling deserved it . were she a weaker bug , perhaps she would've dropped to her knees and held them . perhaps she would do that eventually , but not here . not now .

hornet allowed the little ghost a moment to sit , within the peace of their moment before she looked upwards , listening to the hushed whispers of their spectators . this place was exactly how it had been when she was last called to this place , the overly polished replica of the clearing in kingdoms edge . the wall to the spectators was unnaturally high , as well , too high for her to throw her needle over . she couldn't help but feel that was intentional .

the spider was not the biggest fan of that . she knew , being both half-god and royalty , her whole life had been observed in some facet , something she'd likely never escape . but seeing this many eyes on her , seeing the fruition of their observations .. it made her want to hole away in the darkest part of deepnest , until bronze and gold could no longer find her . she twitched slightly , before shaking the thought away . she was here for ghost , not to linger on some silly little anxiety .

" hey , ghost ? " the weaverling started with an exhale , gently tapping her siblings horn .her voice was barely above a whisper as she glanced from the roof , to the spectators . and finally to her siblings small form . " have you been here .. since we last fought ? "

[abyssembraced]

Ghost, too busy attempting to halt the spreading Void, paid little attention to what was happening in the Junk Pit. They saw nothing, despite the Entity's many eyes being wide open, and focused entirely on the feeling of the far reaches of the Void, desperately trying to call it back toward themself.

Suddenly, however, they felt a sensation of restriction. It was as though they, the core of the beast, were being restrained, enveloped in shadowy wisps of a Void not quite their own.

No! Don't stop them!

They struggled against the gentle bindings, attempting to shake free of its hold.

They need to do this!

The Void Entity roared out in protest in response to Its core's distress.

They need to stop the spread! They need—

The Void's progression ceased.

Ghost didn't understand it, but they could sense that the furthest offshoots of their Void had been halted by… Something. An outside force; not something of their own doing.

That moment of reprieve was enough to allow the stranger's plan to take place, and the amalgamation of troubled souls stilled.

Slowly, the weight of Ghost's panic and stress was lifted from them. They were calm now, more focused. Their mind was clear. They could think.

And although the core had not heard the stranger's words, perhaps the many other souls within had been listening. They, too, had been pacified, no longer lashing out at the most minute of movements. The Shades were alert, waiting for their Lord's command.

Finally, it seemed their siblings would listen.

« UNIFY »

The Void that had dispersed throughout the tunnels of the ruined kingdom rushed back toward the source of the call, swirling around the divine Entity and absorbing itself into Its form. The beast's body began to stabilize once more, and, as more was added to the amalgamation, It grew further in size. At Its new height, It now needed to duck in order to fit within the Junk Pit.

All was not completely well—there was still the issue of figuring out how to safely make their way back to the Abyss—but at least the souls within the Entity were now at peace.

With the threat of the spreading Void no longer demanding their attention, Ghost resumed looking through the Entity's eyes.

…Hm.

This was… Not at all like what they last recalled seeing. Ghost tilted the Entity's head at the wyrm-like being that floated before them, attempting to meet the other's eyes but unsure where exactly to look in order to do that.

Bingo. All it took was the godlike mass being looked at to hone in on the core. The Little Ghost at it's centre; where all the others connected like strands of a web being torn apart in the wind. "Got you."

Through the core, she can induce the calm. Intake all the extra panic into herself and give a sense of clarity. Give the children what is essentially training wheels. The void may be spreading, but the shadows bent to her will.

She was a QUEEN. Shade and sight were at her fingertips

It lightly coils around the godling, the elder's own following. Darkness gives way to the body of a massive Lindwurm, thousands of eyes across its body all focused on the cluster of manic souls.

"𐌁𐌓𐌄𐌀𐌕𐋅𐌄. 𐌕𐋅𐌄 𐌌Ꝋ𐌓𐌄 𐌙Ꝋ𐌵 𐌐𐌀𐌍𐌉𐌂 𐌕𐋅𐌄 𐌌Ꝋ𐌓𐌄 𐌂Ꝋ𐌍𐌕𐌓Ꝋ𐌋 𐌙Ꝋ𐌵 𐌋Ꝋ𐌔𐌄."

Noir wasn't the only one who had sprung into action. Divodas has seen the darkness becoming more intense, having left his spot ages ago. Taking to his dragonborn-esque form, he's adopted a quadrupedal form; slinking through the tunnels of the kingdom, using everything in his assets to get to a point where he can cut off the spread.

Claws plant themselves in the dirt and stone, growling lowly... And letting loose a commanding ROAR. If there was one thing he knew, it was that voidlings were made from the multiversal void, having influence over it. But this? This wasn't just the void; no this was emotion in its rawest form. The kingdom's pain and regret. The sheer depression it had all mixed into.

The whelp was its sheer opposite: Joy, hope... love.

He could use both. Drive back the dark with a grounding and comforting light; consume the pain and use it to keep him going.

"𐌙𐌉𐌄Ꮤ𐌃."

He was called here. He wasn't letting these ruins fall when they held so much potential. When the Void Given Focus still held so much more potential.

"Listen to your core; work with them so they can save you all. Let me handle all your fear and confusion; I will not leave you. Your goal is to unify around the core. Once we do that, we can take you somewhere more comfortable. Somewhere control and stability will be easier."

For all her focus, she still takes advantage of the dark to find a more suitable place to move the children. Where was that damn birthplace located?

[abyssembraced]

Every battle with an illusion began the same. The Colosseum of Fools' beloved God Tamer would leap from her roaring beast, swinging her blade with a predictable and easily evaded attack. One by one, the Watcher Knights would be roused by the infected lumaflies circling above, always in the same order. The winged variant of Nosk would force them to sit through its entire transformation, as though they weren't already aware that the beast was merely a mockery of their sister's form. No matter how many times Ghost might decide to challenge them, their opponents’ actions before the fight never changed, constantly following a predetermined routine.

This time, however, Sister Hornet had called out to them. A deviation from the script.

This was no simulation. This was real.

She was real.

They weren't alone.

They had come here on a mission. It wouldn't do to forget that. Seeing the other and hearing the emotion in her own voice, however… Something within them softened.

How long had it been..?

Ghost was not a hollow, empty husk of a creature. They may have begun their life that way, but the time they spent in Hallownest had changed that, allowing them to grow into something more. Thus, they too were prone to emotions both good and bad, and it seemed that loneliness could count itself among those.

Their sister approached them, and they silently clutched the edge of her cloak between their two tiny hands, holding onto it like a lifeline. They didn't meet her eyes, but rather bore holes into the fabric they held, expression unreadable (as it always was).

She asked them a question, and Ghost nodded. They were them. She was her. They were with someone—a real person—who wasn't just one of the Godseekers. Their grip tightened.

…They missed this. They missed being around their friends, listening to them ramble about whatever came to mind. They missed her.

They couldn't afford to stay like this for long, Ghost knew—they had tried to contact her for a reason, after all. If Sister Hornet could help them escape this endless dream, then they could spend time with her and all of their other friends in the waking world whenever they wanted. Plus, if they took too long, there was the possibility that the lead Godseeker would eventually become annoyed by the lack of fighting and decide to intervene.

But… Maybe it was okay to wait just a little longer.

where was the little ghost ?

she remembers it clearly . the sound of a bell , the ringing cheers , and the taste of refreshing defeat at the hands of her sibling . she remembers the ceilings adorned with gold and bronze , the unmistakable thrum of anticipation as the little ghost continued on their way . what she remembers most , however , was the crash . she was not present for the destruction of the Light , for the fall of such a deity - but she felt it . waking with a start , a buzzing pain flowing through her body as she had struggled to push herself off of the rusted bench she had lay upon - needing to use two sets of legs to steady herself . she could've sworn the world shook with unholy atonement , that the very essence of the void was eating away at the earth from the inside out , though no one had seemed bothered as she had been . she had ran , she recalled , ran as fast as her legs had carried her to the temple of the black egg . and there she had found her sibling . staggering about , sword swinging with a wild incompetence - something so different from the sibling she grew up with as a hatchling .

she had drawn her needle , ready to fight , ready to put them out of their misery if need be , even as the orange globules disappeared around her . however , to her surprise , they had simply stopped . they had planted their nail in the ground , sinking to their knees with a residual thud , the orange pustules on their body glowing even more dim , their full weight hit next with the force of unconsciousness . she regrets that she had know thoughts of the little ghost . only a newfound worry - one she hadn't felt in so , so long . she had lugged her sibling out of that blasted temple , using all legs she had at her disposal . she felt lucky now , however . as the corpses that once haunted the halls of these forgotten crossroads fell silent and still , the scent of decay filling the rooms . she remembers managing to pull her sibling up , watching as the townsfolk scrambled to help her , as they managed to get her sibling situated in an empty home , one big enough that they could get out of if they woke . if was a nasty word , hornet couldn't help but think .

months had passed now , and with her sibling still in their dreamless slumber , hornet had a lot more time to think about the little ghost . in the early days , she had expected them through the town at any , running around with the little winged godspawn . she expected them to run into their siblings home and impatiently point to their sleeping figure , to look downcast when she explained their situation . but they never did . and how very unlike them that was .

even still , she still wondered . she knew they weren't dead . at least , she hoped she knew . she was mature , she had slain many of her kin before and she knew death was inevitable . but she refused to believe they could just perish , leaving no trace of themself upon the world . she sighed at the thought , standing quietly above her other sibling , still fast asleep with no sign of stirring . she worked quietly as she dipped a silken rag into a small bucket she retrieved from the shopkeep , which costed an annoyingly hefty amount of geo to buy . a good investment , however , she couldn't help but think as she wiped down her siblings scared torso , the only completely solid part of their body . the faint color of orange still remained , but she was pleased to see it dissipate more with each passing day . she had cleaned their cloak , too , but she hadn't bothered to fix it just yet . hollow wasn't too careful with their clothes , quick to tear fabric , a difference she noticed between them and the little ghost .

it was almost immediately after she had that thought , that hornet felt an overwhelming sense of tiredness , a weariness that was difficult to fight . months ago , she would've refused the call of slumber , cursed the gods above and taken back to her sentinel work . but now , she allowed the weariness to take its place , dropping the rag back into it's bucket before slipping down onto a cushion beside her siblings resting figure . and for once , she willingly closed her eyes to rest .

the ring of a bell , the shine of bronze , the overwhelming cheers . hornet blinked at the feeling of it all . an arena - one she had seen before , upon fighting the -

" little ghost ! "

the beastspawn couldn't help but call out , her expression flooded with a mix of emotions . was this truly her sibling ? had her grief and stress all culminated into this dream . of the arena where she had last seen them ? but as they threw down their nail , she knew this was real , knew that the ghost of hallownest was here . she didn't loosen her grip on her needle , however , prepared to strike if she were to be wrong . before slowly squatting beside their smaller figure .

" ghost ,, this is truly you ? "

[abyssembraced]

Ghost could do little but watch as their combined body acted of its own accord, attacking relentlessly and ignoring all commands they gave. They strained and tried their best to stop it, but there were simply too many minds, too many wills who refused to listen, and Ghost's own stress and panic only served to make matters worse. The surge of power they gained from their joint ascension was too strong, too overwhelming, and needed to be expelled.

Yet, throughout all this, as the stranger—who, fortunately for her, was proving to be quite formidable—defended against the neverending onslaught of swipes and Void tendrils, she… Claimed she could help them?

...

What other choice did they have?

All their own attempts at resolving this disaster had resulted in complete failure. Even as their body fought against the stranger now, other offshoots of the Void encroached further into Hallownest, like a second coming of the Infection. The entirety of the Waterways had surely fallen victim already, no doubt much of the Capital along with it. It couldn't go any further. They needed to stop this. But how, when their words could not even reach the Nothingness?

This stranger... She spoke with an odd sense of... Familiarity, about their situation. Did she truly know of a way to assist them? Could they trust her?

There was no other option. They needed to try.

« WATCH STRANGER »

The command rang out across the beings that made up the Entity. Though concealed by the opaque shadows that composed It, a light shone from within as Void Heart enforced the Shade Lord's will.

And slowly (though the attacks did not cease) the beast's gaze turned to focus on the other. Eight gleaming white eyes met pink.

...For a brief moment, they felt... Calmer? Their siblings, too, seemed more subdued?

Was this what the stranger wanted?

However, while Ghost expended much of their energy forcing the head of their body to do as the other asked, their focus waned in other aspects. In the corner of their mind, they felt the far reaches of the Void spread further, faster, its range no longer limited by its master's control (however slight that may have been).

No, no, NO! This wasn't meant to happen!

The beast roared, breaking the staredown as one of Its arms shot out in an attempt to snatch the stranger out of the air. Any further words toward It fell on deaf ears, calls absorbed by the darkness and lost before they could reach the minds within. As Ghost scrambled to stop the advances of the distant masses of Void, the Entity spiralled even further out of control than It had been before. The Void sea writhed and bubbled as It lashed out at Its surroundings with reckless abandon, desperate to unleash the power that It was struggling to contain.

The Entity's form appeared to be growing more... Unstable, now, too, especially now that Ghost was preoccupied with trying to force the other parts of the Void under their control and paid little attention to the events in the Junk Pit. However, that only served to make It and the Void around It more dangerous and unpredictable.

It didn't matter. They had to stop the Void from climbing further into Hallownest. The stranger's wants were less important. They couldn't let their power harm their friends. Nothing else mattered. Stop the Void's progression. Stay away from Dirtmouth. Stop the Void's progression why wasn't it stopping it was supposed to listen to them they were telling it to stop stop stop stop-

This wasn't good, Noir could feel that ancient rage. The hunger of needing a purpose. What was supposed to be null was instead a cluster of souls sent into utter discord.

And at it's core, the source was panicking.

"Gonna take that as a firm no." At the very least she'd gotten it's attention. That pain of null made from stains and regrets could be put solely on her. "Guess you're pretty lucky then that I came along."

Moving swiftly, the dragon steps back from the sweeping claws, taking the chance to grab onto one. Riding the attack to it's highest point, Noir springs off it, taking to the air properly. Her own eyes aren't taken off the Shade Lord, searching it for it's core. That one set of emotion that put the rest in disarray. "I know... I know it hurts. It always hurts... Just focus on me; all of you. Don't take your eyes off me."

As she utters that last sentence, she 's already reaching out for that core and the overflow of emotion surrounding them and the others. That ascended ghost of the past that couldn't grasp the chaos. "It hurts and it's terrifying and you don't know what comes next- I get that." The voidling continues, taking that excess emotion into herself. "All that rage and disdain is just going to hurt you more and keep you from stability. You don't have to hold onto that anymore-"

She knew this land's story... what secrets the shadows held. The only reason she had never properly approached was so she didn't fall victim to the thralls of Dream and Nightmare. But now the Void and it's denizens were the threat, as well as the victims. "Focus on me; Use that to ground yourselves and take proper hold of the power you've gotten." "Just follow my lead... I'll get you kids through this." In the air she remained, silent instructions given through every dodge and block made. Disarming reassurances through every overwhelming emotion she made more bearable. Little by little she was going to get the newly formed god to calm, even if it killed her.

[abyssembraced]

The Void consumed All.

The Forgotten Light was first, her radiant blaze snuffed out by the shadows of nothingness. The Void, United as one, clawed at her very essence, tearing her apart until nothing remained and dragged her into Its depths.

But when the object of Its Focus was destroyed, what was next?

The Void hungered for more. No they didn't, this was enough! More.

No longer joined by a common goal, the ascended Void Entity's power shot out in all directions, enveloping all of Godhome itself in Its embrace. That too was swallowed up, its Seekers along with it, yet even that wasn't enough for the uncontrolled deity. The hulking beast burst forth from the Dream Realm like a moth from its cocoon to take shape in the waking world, just barely capable of standing tall within the Waterways' Junk Pit. Transported out of the Abyss by divine decree, the deadly contents of the Void Sea now flowed out across Hallownest unrestrained, poisoning all who dared get too close.

This wasn't right. Their ascension, the death of the Radiance at her absolute, was meant to save Hallownest! Not bring it to further ruin!

But all this new power... It was too much, too quickly. Just when Ghost thought they had a handle on one part of the Void, another slipped from their grasp. With every step forward, they took another step back, and so the Void continued to rage across the kingdom. But they needed to get everything under control! For their friends..! They had to keep trying, no matter how futile the task was beginning to feel!

At the sound of another's voice, the beast's eight white eyes flashed, and Its head snapped to look toward the source.

«Stop!» Ghost commanded, but It did not obey.

For the Entity held more than just one consciousness within it.

Fragmented minds, lingering wills, kept alive by resentment built up over centuries of abandonment. What remained of the many lost children of the Pale King. All who were now surely also feeling the same surge of uncontrollable energy that had resulted from their union.

The amalgamation of souls peered down at the unfamiliar figure, who seemed strangely unaffected by the lethal substance that surrounded them.

«No!»

Ghost was the Lord of Shades, but the subjects could still revolt against their monarch.

«Calm!»

How could the followers be calm, when their leader wasn't?

The giant Void deity lashed out at the other, Its great black claws sweeping through the air. The sea of Void that the beast sat in began to bubble at the stranger's feet, and soon a cluster of large Void tendrils emerged from its depths, quickly moving to attack.

@abyssembraced || Plotted Starter

"Divo no-" It's the only words she manages before she's pulling the younger voidling close with her tail. Naturally the whelp complains, chittering something at his sister as she scoops him up and places him on her shoulders. "I know, I know, just- Just gimme a sec."

She'd felt the call and clearly he had too. An intense ripple though a universal void that leaked into the multiversal one.

A call for for justice. A call for union. A call for ascension.

A call so full it could only belong to a god.

The elder voidling frowns at the shadows, giving her head a little shake as Divodas crawls into her mane space. That wasn't a call that could be ignored, like all the others of it's calibre. No... no something was off about this one; not unlike a cluster of scared whelps. Maybe that's what prompted the swift action of diving into the shadows and emerging in the shadowy tunnels of an underground kingdom.

She knew the story of worlds like this well; all following the similar lines of a jealous goddess of light, desperate to be remembered. A spread of an infection that brought a bug down to it's base instincts of walk and attack. A prideful king abusing the powers of creation, void and even time itself to combat her infection in a vain attempt to keep his kingdom immortal.

Each world tainted by a sickly, glowing orange.

But this...? What should be aglow was black as pitch. Further down reeked of two different kinds of void; one of null and one of regret and depression.

Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

Even Divodas- who made his way out once he too sensed the sheer emotion seeping from below- seemed a little worried. Though it was also him to be the first to take off through the nearly-empty kingdom; prompting Noir to call and soon chase after him.

Eventually, she catches up, having gone through tunnels, streets and pipes alike to do so. Only to be met with her little brother staring as a huge room fulled with junk and trash-

And a fledgling God of the Void. United and given shaky Focus.

That's why things felt so familiar. It felt like her own ascensions when she became more than just a queen breed, at the hands of two very influential entities.

There's a chitter at Divodas to stay here, before the older being drops down, treading shadow like it was solid ground.

"Well, this is a surprise." A reverb comes to her own voice in order to get the Shade Lord's attention. "I was wondering who was making such a ruckus in this universe~ You kids doin' alright? You seem to be struggling just a bit." Not that she expected a verbal response. It was more just to get the white-eyed god to look down at her. Focus that attention on her, rather than the surrounding kingdom.