Born of God and Void

-[Chapter two]-

Sealed Caves

The sound of footsteps could be heard in the cavern. Exploring the cave the Vessel wanders around and every now and then updates his empty map, remembering locations it has been to before and finding new areas it has never been to.

During its travels, it has found many crystals like minerals everywhere in the cavern. It was similar to Crystal Peak back in Hallownest. Though the cavern has some sort of air about it. Either way, the sense of exploration never left it even after it ascended.

While it was updating its map, a large reptilian creature comes crawling out of a hole. The lizard is heavily armored like an Elder Baldur. Along with a pair of whip-like tentacles on each of its shoulders. On its head is a singular horn.

With a mighty roar, the Armorsaurus charges at the Vessel while using its tentacles to grab a hold of them. Drawing out their nail they shadow dash right through the tentacles and with one swing decapitates the armorsaurus' head clean off.

The bugs of Hallownest were all armored, and their fighting style shows this very well. Watching the beast's body collapse on the ground it prepares to leave until it realized it drew more soul from that beast than the bugs of Hallownest.

Intrigued, it kept note of that as to remember it. Leaving the area it heads towards the direction where the fading power of that creature is.

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4 days later

Traveling for some time the Vessel decided to take one of the glowing crystals. Sensing a powerful force within it, the Vessel infuses SOUL into the crystal. All of a sudden the crystal went from a colorful rainbow-like color to a white pale one. Similar to pale ore its power can be felt just by being near it.

Perhaps it could use it to its advantage. Maybe it could find a nailsmith somewhere and they could upgrade their Pure Nail even better, though they felt a tinge of guilt since this was also the Nailsmith's life's work back in Hallownest. But that guilt was washed away by numbness.

Still, it chose to take three more pieces of this strange ore and infuses each one with SOUL. After putting the ore into his void body it prepares to leave until he felt that strange power disappear. But then it suddenly appears again as if nothing changed.

Looking at the direction where the creature was supposedly located, the Vessel used Crystal Dash to get there faster.

Ever since its body changed many of its abilities also changed, such as Monarch Wings. Before it could allow the Vessel to double jump, now it could allow them sustained flight for a short period of time. This also means they could turn directions when they use Crystal Dash.

Speeding through the cave system the Vessel stops abruptly as it sensed the creature nearby. Dashing in the creature's direction it sees a small blue blob eating the flowers that grow around the place. The blob stops abruptly as it sees the tall and intimidating Vessel.

Pointing its nail towards the blob, the small gelatinous creature 'face' contorts into a crude expression of fear and surprise. That was not the creature the Vessel was looking for, yet it holds its power. Did it perhaps ascend as the Vessel did?

Was it a Lifeseed? It did not see any Lifeblood Cocoons anywhere. No, that wasn't it. Lifeseeds have legs while this blob didn't. Staring blankly at the creature in front of it the small blob spoke.

"Uh. Are you just going to stare at me with that blade  drawn?"

This surprised the Vessel, but that surprise was almost immediately numbed. Returning its blade onto its back, the blob calms down a little.

"Well since you aren't threatening me that means you understand what I'm saying right?"

Nodding at the blobs question the Vessel uses its FOCUS to look deeper into the blobs soul. It sees the soul of the creature it was originally trying to find, which means it must've consumed it then. But before it could do anything else, something kicked it out.

"Whoa whoa whoa, what are you doing?"

Realizing it must've noticed it enter its dream the Vessel doesn't do anything, merely staring at the blob. As the Vessel heard something approaching them it quickly runs around but before it could block the attack, a spine came flying at them and hits them on the shoulder.

The creature that attacked was a large crab-like creature with many crystal-like spines on its claws.

"Hey! Are you alright? Let me handle this."

Firing a blade made of water similar to their nail slashes when equipped with Grubberfly's Elegy cuts right through the crab monster bisecting it. Impressed by the blob's power it nods its head to show respect.

Ripping out the spine in its shoulder. VOID begins to leak out as some drip on the ground. As it began to focus the blob bounces closer offering some sort of liquid in its tentacle.

"Here's a health potion since you got injured."

Well it was nice the blob was offering them to be healed it shook their heads. Using FOCUS, a circular aura surrounds the Vessel as wounds and cracks on its shell began to heal. With one flash of light, all the injuries it has sustained so far had healed.

"That's pretty cool, how did you do that?"

While the blob asked a question, the Vessel was panicking since the Delicate Flower was on its body when they got hit. Quickly checking their cloak they find it still intact somehow. Feeling a sense of relief that disappeared immediately, the Vessel looked towards the blob as it curiously stared at the flower.

'Hey, Great Sage do you know what type of flower is that?'

<<Answer: Unknown. No known instance of this species of flora was ever discovered.>>

'Ah'

Watching the slime stare at the flower in its cloak it decides to leave since it accomplished its goal of finding the source of that power. While the Vessel began to walk away the slime calls out to it.

"You just going to leave like that? Please let me come as well."

Glancing back at the slime it nods, allowing the slime to follow it. Looking away, the slime goes to a puddle of VOID keen on analyzing it to see if it could get any skills or information. Absorbing it the slime asks Great Sage.

'Can you tell me what this is?'

<<Answer: Substance is an... iwosjdowksl compound fou-iDisk Warning. Warning. The substance is highly dangerous. Recommend action is to->>

'Are you alright? What do you mean dangerous? Please answer!'

Cutting off. The slime panics internally as their guide has just been cut off and isn't answering them back. Their internal turmoil was cut off immediately when they heard a chorus of voices.

WHO | ARE | YOU?

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To be continued

A/N: Have a great day!