My Post Infection AU [Hollow Knight]

Part 5: Golden Face, Shrieking Void

As Vessel arrived back in the palace, she was met with Ogrim looking like he had just had the most violent shouting match with a person who spoke a different language with him not understanding anything they said.

"Is something troubling you?" The queen asks the knight.

"Oh, hello. Yes, actually. There was this bug down in the sewers who... I'm not quite certain how to describe them. They were rather strange..." the Dung Defender tells his queen.

"Did they by chance have a golden mask?" Vessel asks. She felt hatred simply by the words "bug down in the sewers" like it was some taboo phrase that was outlawed because it reminded her of an awful experience. Similar to that of the golden bug she saw in her dream.

"Yes actually. How did yo-"

"Say no more, I think I know where to go." Vessel starts to walk out towards the City's entrance to the Junk Pit. It was rather dark and she had to be careful to avoid the fungoons still in the tunnels. Finally arriving in the Junk Pit, she... gracefully... fell straight into the water next to it.

"Ew! That's going to take forever to get out!" Vessel says to herself, climbing onto the massive heap of garbage. She then looked around and saw the reason for her visit.

A massive bug, larger and wider than most, wearing a golden mask which seemed to be connected to a golden back plate with a pale grey cloak hanging out of it. They appeared to be crouched around themselves and staring at Vessel with an awestruck expression.

"Oh, fantastic." Vessel says sarcastically, walking over to them, "Can I help you with something or are you just going to stare at me?"

"Oh, the mighty being born of the remnants of the God of Gods has graced me with their presence!" The strange bug exclaims.

Vessel is very confused by this, she doesn't like this conversation or the direction it appears to be headed in. "W-what?"

"Indeed, what great power is held within them! Such a great power that even the other higher beings of this kingdom have bowed before them!" The golden figure continues.

Vessel doesn't like the way they speak about her. "Uh, no? What are you talking about? I literally just lost my balance and fell face first into the sewage! There is no way we are thinking about the same being. I don't think I fully understand what you're saying."

"But though are a being made from the union of pale, void, and light! Others have granted thee their power and wish you to continue their worship in their stead."

"I'm sorry, are we talking about the same person here?" Vessel asks, looking around, she's rather tempted to stab this bug. Every word that comes out of their mouth annoys her more and more. "Because I really don't think we are..."

"Oh, but great and powerful wyrm-" The masked, golden clad

"I'm not great or powerful thank you very much!" Vessel sputters out, not caring about interrupting at this point, she felt her body sway forward as she yelled, not knowing what just happened. It was suddenly much brighter behind her than it had been two seconds prior.

"Oh, but your sacred wings show otherwise."

"What do you mean win-? Oh. That's new..." Vessel stared at the bright wings behind her. Salubra wasn't so insane after all! But where did they come from because they were definitely not there ten seconds ago. Their vertical span was probably about as tall as Vessel and their horizontal span about half her height.

"A brilliant beacon for this kingdom to follow!" the golden figure exclaims. "Truly a god of gods!"

"Ok, I'm about to smack that mask clean of your face." Vessel points accusingly at the bug. "I am no god! I'm barely even a higher being!"