Chapter Text
Queen’s Garden was not very calm today. Children of the Pale King and the White Lady ran around, chasing each other with wooden nails, or attempted to climb up pillars and poles and the twisting wooden roots of their mother. Said Mother kept a careful eye on the children, while also enjoying some tea with her knight Dryya. Ogrim and Isma kept the children occupied while Xero and Markoth stood guard, in case a child slipped by.
They were taking everything slow. The shiver in them hadn’t quite left yet, and they didn’t like being alone. That’s why they were pressed up against Quirrel. The pillbug didn’t seem to mind, one arm draped around them, a blanket. The other he used to gesture as he talked to Tiso. After everything that happened, the Voidling finally agreed to not fight the Pale King.
In their paws was a warm cup of tea. Most of the cup remained full. It was somewhat difficult for them to properly drink it without just dumping it into their eye hole. But the cup was warm and so was the little whifs of steam curling upwards. Their old cloak was familiar, but it was tattered. Herrah offered to fix the cloak for them, and gifted them a soft silky one in the meantime. They were tempted to just keep the cloak. The doubted Herrah would mind.
They wiggled a little, repositioning themselves as they had grown uncomfortable. “Hm? Are you alright little one?” Quirrel asked. They gave a tiny thumbs up. With a small smile, Quirrel went back to talking with Tiso. They stared down into their tea. It was… nice. Not running around, not having a pressing goal to accomplish. It was nice. So why did they still feel so… empty? They felt detached in a way. Their emotions were dulled, aside from the sharp pain of some negative emotion, something between guilt, fear, and sadness.
Ever since that… event , everything had been dulled except this. They didn’t want to tell anyone. They didn’t want to worry them. But. They were here for them, right? Their family was here for them. Shouldn’t they say something?
They sat up. “Ghost?” Quirrel questioned. They should do this. Maybe it would help.
“You want to talk to someone? Hmm.”
“Alright. Let’s go,” Tiso said aloud.
“Go where?”
“To Unn. Come on.”
They really liked the mosscreeps. They wondered if they could have one within the palace. “Ghost, remember, we can go back if you wish,” said Quirrel. They didn’t want to go back. They approached the lake and the hut.
Sitting outside the hut was a bug. A cloak woven of moss and leaves and vines enshrouded the bug. As they neared, the bug turned to look at them. Four whiskers came from their face, two lower one and two upper ones. The upper ones were long, curling around itself. “Hello young one. We wondered when you would come again. You are not the only one to have changed forms. Come, sit.”
Oh. So that was Unn. She was small. The party of three settled beside her. The Moss Knight from before, Grove, right? Grove stepped outside their hut, saw the group, looked at Unn, then went right back inside. “Forgive us for asking, but what brings you? We see the turmoil still within. It would not have something to do with that?”
They weren’t sure, but she sounded almost mischievous. “Excuse me Madam Unn. Ghost wanted to come here to talk to someone. I assume that would be you, Madam,” Quirrel spoke.
“No madam is needed, scholar. Unn is simply enough for us.” Her focus shifted back to Ghost. “We are still tired, but we took this form to not miss another turning point.” There was that mischief again. “If you wish to talk, join us at the pier’s end. Your companions should stay put, unless you wish for them to come.”
‘They can stay.’
“Come then, Little Ghost. Tell us what troubles you.”
They waited until they and Unn had reached the end of the pier. The acid bubbled and sizzled, steam rising up after bubbles popped. Unn curled her lower half, resting upon it while she listened. “How do you feel?”
They took a moment to think. Physically, their body felt fine, aside from their occasional shivers, and a dull ache running across the scar between the halves of their head. ‘Empty. But not really. Everything is dull except this pain. ’ They paused. ‘Somewhere between guilt and sadness and fear.’
“Regret,” Unn said softly. “That would be regret, young one. We see why you would feel such a thing. It is a natural emotion, especially to Higher Beings.” Her coils shifted and she was eye level with them. “It is natural, but one should not dwell on it.”
They looked at her confused. They didn’t regret anything. Did they..?
‘I don’t regret anything.’
“Then what else do you feel?” There was not a hint of annoyance in her voice. No frustration, no anger. Just unending gentle calmness.
‘Relieved in a way? I’m not so heavy.’
“A weight has been lifted. That is a good thing. A very good thing.” Her voice shifted to somewhat mournful, “Asking a child to bear so much. The world no longer rests on your shoulders. It never should have in the first place. We are glad you came to us, glad you spoke to us. No one carries their burdens alone.
“Perhaps the thing you regret is not something so easily found. Tell us, why did you go backwards?”
Because they killed the Radiance. But they couldn’t save everyone. They failed to save so many. Their siblings, the Dreamers, Cloth and Myla, all of the spirit warriors, Seer. They failed so many. What was the point of destroying the Radiance herself if most of the people they cared about died? Not to mention those they never met. Only their shambling husks left behind. What was the point of all of that, if they couldn’t save a single person?
“We see. And are you satisfied with this?”
Are they what? Happy with this ending? With this future? They almost killed people! They almost started another god war! Why would they be happy with this?!
“Little one, you are still a child. A child asked to carry the world by themself.” She curled around them. A hug. They shivered, even as the gentle coils held them. “You regret the almost. But they did not happen. They could have, yes, but they did not. It is good you acknowledge the potential outcomes, but you should not hold them so close. You should not let them eat at you. We ask you this again, and please take your time to truly consider, are you satisfied with this ending?”
No, they weren’t. They almost hurt people. They almost started a war. But didn’t they stop the Infection? Didn’t they save not only Hollow, but Lost and Mothwing and Falcer and Thread and Mimic? Didn’t they bring an understanding to the gods of Hallownest? They weren’t satisfied with this ending, but they supposed they were… happy, in a way.
‘I’m not satisfied. But, this is okay. It’s better than the alternative.’
“That is good. Shall you consider the future, let go of the what ifs? Your journey shall not be easy, but the world is carried together.”
This wasn’t how it was supposed to end.
This was so much better.