Never

Chapter 21: Resting Grounds

Resting Grounds had changed a lot over the years, it had almost no resemblance to the desolate sanctuary of death that it was a few years ago. It was still a silent place designed to house the bodies of those who had already left this world, but now it had a friendlier aspect. Visitors arriving daily at the site had begun planting various types of flowers to decorate the graves and honor the fallen. In addition, they had erected numerous statues in honor of the Lord of Shades, the influence that the cult had on the kingdom was notorious.

Orchid looked at the statues with interest, the representations of the deity were somewhat different from those she had seen elsewhere, where he was shown as a terrifying and threatening being, with his four arms outstretched ready to tear whoever approached. Here on Resting Grounds he looked more benevolent, whit palms together as if praying seeking comfort to those who suffered from the losses.

The mantis were not in the habit of becoming so attached to their dead and they overcame the losses quickly, so it was a bit strange for Orchid such dedication to the inert bodies, but she no longer questioned it, it was simply something different from her customs. Also, it was not something that she disliked , the silence that reigned had a special mystique, the statues of the deity were very beautiful and she was enchanted with the quantity of flowers that were everywhere.

Suddenly she felt the characteristic noise of Hollow's pencil tapping against the whiteboard, he was calling her. She didn't realize she had stayed behind, it was very easy for her to distract herself observing the landscape and there was so much to see. It was not just the flowers and the graves, the people also had a special and mystical air. There were vessels on site, but these were different from the ones she had seen anywhere else, they did not have that playful and carefree air that used to characterize them, they were silent, calm and above all expressionless, they reminded her a lot of the knight the first time she had seen him.

Now that Orchid thought about it, what had happened to Hollow in all these years? How, from being an empty being without emotions, did he become the adorable individual who was always by her side and pampered her? And now that she looked at these guys here, why did they act like this? Was this their true nature? What was hollow's true nature?

The reality was that the contamination with void that the vessels had, had affected them to a different extent, at first they all acted as entities without mind or conscience, but that state was somewhat reversible, the coexistence and affection of others filled their hearts and minds leading them to be almost normal bugs. But others had not been so fortunate, they could develop their own will and desires, but they did not fully understand what affection was and had problems expressing themselves. Some of these vessels were those who had chosen to stay in the abyss. But others, in spite of everything, wanted to live on the surface and chose to stay in the calmest and quietest place in the whole kingdom. Resting Grounds.

Both of them went through the corridors full of graves and flowers, until they reached the most remote place in the huge cemetery. There, under a canopy of flowers and surrounded by books, they found the guardian.

When Orchid saw the bug, she couldn't help but be surprised and a little confused, that thing was the strangest thing she had seen in a long time.

They had a round white face with a single eye in the center and two tiny horns protruding from their head, they was dressed in a long robe that completely covered their body except for some... Tentacles? that stood out from among their clothes with which they had some books and other things clutched. What was that? She couldn't even tell if they was a male or a female, even their name was neutral unlike Chari.

Orchid did not know but they was also a vessel, one quite particular, of those who had been too contaminated by the void, so they lacked expression. Also they did not seem to have much interest in imitating normal bugs, so not even they bothered to use their limbs and pulled out void tentacles to manipulate things.