Chapter Text
How long had they been traveling? It was a question he couldn’t help but repeat out of dozens of other inquiries he’d kept to himself. The sands were vast and relentless, yet they pressed onward, seeking, searching . Absently, Quirrel reached behind him and relaxed almost imperceptibly as a small hand slipped into his. At his side, his friend and fellow wanderer kept close to avoid the strongest of the violent gusts, their cloak billowing in the wind.
It had only been a short while, he assumed, since they’d parted ways with the other, much larger bug who’d shared their food with the two of them. Now, they were drawing nearer to that fabled place. Hallownest’s call drew them in the direction of the legendary kingdom, and soon they would be at its doorstep. Despite not remembering having ever been to the place himself, Quirrel was attracted to the place, haunted by fables passed on by other wandering creatures and adventurers alike.
Although his memories of the past may have been vague and clouded, Quirrel didn’t think he’d ever be able to forget the moment when he’d met his dear companion.
Time was meaningless when one was traveling through the seemingly endless wastelands. Days were a concept that slipped through one’s fingers when there was no sun in the sky, and the world around you was desolate and bleak. It was at the start of his pilgrimage to Hallownest that Quirrel had stumbled upon the other bug. He’d witnessed them wield their blunted nail with the battle instinct of a warrior, tearing apart a pack of wild beasts with the dull weapon as though it were a knight’s blade.
It only took a moment for him to draw his own blade and leap into the fray to assist. Despite them appearing startled at his sudden appearance, upon realizing that he wasn’t there to do them any harm, they fell into a rhythm that resulted in the feral creatures being dispatched and chased away soon after.
Once the beasts were gone, Quirrel turned to the other bug and tilted his head slightly in way of greeting they repeated the action in turn.
“I hope my intrusion wasn’t too much of a distraction for you, Stranger, but it looked like you could use some assistance just then.” Instead of responding, they sheathed their weapon and gazed up at him. After holding his stare for a few seconds, they appeared to have accepted his presence, nodding slowly before focusing back on themselves.
In the lull after the battle, Quirrel observed them as they cleaned themselves off. They were of quite a short stature, but after watching them fight, he knew better than to underestimate their skills. Their cloak was worn with age, but it held fast to them, while their mask hid any sort of emotion from his gaze. All in all, they were an interesting being, one he wouldn’t have minded learning more about if it weren’t for the fact that he was likely headed in a different direction than they were.
“Well, that was enough excitement for me. I do hope my company wasn’t too unwelcome, and good luck on your travels ahead,” he said with a short bow, before standing and continuing his journey through the sands.
Afterwards found him returning to his trek in search of the ruined kingdom alone for a short while before the tell-tale sensations of being both watched and followed began to buzz at the edge of his mind. Though, it wasn’t until he made another stop to rest that he once again came into contact with the small warrior, the pale white of their mask standing out against the gray dunes as he waved, beckoning them into his temporary shelter.
“Fancy meeting you again! I must say though, even if I can’t choose my company, I am glad to have some at all.” Quirrel laughed softly to himself even as they looked up at him in what he thought was confusion. “Ah, but I don’t believe I’ve actually introduced myself, have I? My apologies, I’m Quirrel. Who might you be, Stranger?” At his inquiry, they didn’t respond, instead choosing to look down at their hands before back up to him.
“Well, if you aren’t in the mood to share, I can respect that. We each have our own purpose for wandering this great big place, and it isn’t my place to pry.” Shaking his head at his own over-eagerness to learn something new, he turned back to them. “Personally, I’m seeking the fabled kingdom of Hallownest. I’ve heard stories and tales of such a magnificent place, I just have to see it for myse- oh?” Pausing in his speech, he glanced down at them only to see them enthusiastically pointing at themselves.
“Hm, would I be correct in assuming that you too search for that place of wonders?” Their responding nod had him feeling elated for the first time in what might’ve been years. “Why, how grand! It seems we are destined to tread the same path. In that case, I pray you won’t think me too forward if I suggest that we travel together. After all, there is safety in numbers.”
His new companion seemed to have no complaints of following along on the way to their destination.
Judging by how far they’d traveled since, Quirrel figured it might have been anywhere from several weeks to a few months since their pathways had converged, and despite their inability to speak, they were quite expressive when they wanted to be. It took some time for them to become comfortable around him enough to let their guard down, but he was patient.
Quirrel’s friend- and he was sure they were his friend at this point -had no qualms about fighting off wild bugs or threatening the more dangerous travelers the two encountered while on the road, but they were also interesting in ways he hadn’t expected.
They enjoyed resting their head against his midsection when they stopped to take breaks from traveling in the unending sandstorm. Light fascinated them, and Quirrel had to take extra precautions to make sure they knew that fire wasn’t a harmless thing they could touch. They treated their nail like it was a precious treasure despite its age and worn state, and when they thought he was getting too far away from them while walking, they’d quicken their steps and latch onto his hand with theirs to make sure he wouldn’t get too far ahead. It was a practice he’d picked up on as well over time, to the point where it was second nature.
Quirrel could no longer imagine traveling without them, and now it seemed like the two had finally reached their destination.
Giant empty shells littered the space around them as they walked, and soon, poles with a familiar four-horned crest with strips of trailing fabric tied to them became visible even in the wind. A few more steps past the boundary markers and the sandstorm lessened from a vicious gale to a breeze.
After so long, they’d finally reached it. The end of the wastelands was behind them, and beyond the steep cliff face lied the place which sang to them in their dreams.
The Kingdom of Hallownest was within their grasp.
Gazing up at the steep cliffs before them, Quirrel briefly wondered how his little friend would scale them. Their hands weren’t suited to gripping rock, and he didn’t know if they’d let him carry them-
A flash of red from above drew him out of his thoughts, and Quirrel quickly stuck his arm out in front of his companion in hopes of preventing them from drawing their nail too soon. High on top of the cliffs, a pale bug dressed in a flowing crimson cloak loomed over them. On her back was a polished needle, a single strand of luminous thread hovering around her body.
“Stop right there, traveler. If you come in search of the sacred kingdom of Hallownest then I advise you turn back now. Only death awaits those who wish to tread upon its ground, and as its protector, those who fail to respect it will fall to my blade.” she called out to them, her voice edged with warning. In response, Quirrel gripped his nail tighter. He didn’t want this encounter to end badly.
“Ah, please forgive our intrusion, but we only come to observe these ruins-” He had no chance to finish, for as soon as his friend stepped out from behind them, she leaped from her perch and dashed towards them, weapon poised to strike.
It was only his pre-preparedness that allowed him to parry her slash and avoid having his face split, her battle cry ringing in his head as he attempted to fend her off.
“I see through your deceit, simple bug, and I see too the being you have brought with you to this kingdom’s doorstep! For the good of these ancient lands I cannot allow you to pass.” Quirrel feared another series of attacks, but his friend rushed into the fray before he could stop them. A sharp cry from the red-cloaked bug was swallowed up by the wind as the edge of their nail caught her leg.
In the back of his mind, something screamed out as Quirrel watched her angle her needle at them, its pointed tip ready to spear them. Be it because of instinct or something else, Quirrel threw himself in front of his companion. As soon as her weapon struck the mask atop his head, a bright flash blinded all three of them as a loud drumming noise echoed against the cliffs. With a gasp, he fell to the ground dazed, while his friend hurried to stand in front of him, their nail held high.
However, instead of continuing her onslaught, their assailant tossed her needle upwards and vaulted away, her cloak billowing as she turned back to face them.
“I know why you were both called here, though that won’t stop me from doing my duty should I find you overstepping your boundaries. Watch yourself, simple bug, and watch even closer the ghost who follows in your wake.” With another flash of her weapon she was gone, her pale visage disappearing over the cliffs and out of view faster than Quirrel could comprehend.
It took a moment for him to recover from the ordeal, but as soon as he was up again, his friend began to pull on his wrist nervously. Stifling his amusement, he kneeled on the ground and let them inspect him to their liking. When they apparently found no major injuries on his shell, they let him stand again, though they didn’t let go of his hand.
“Thank you for your concern, my friend, but I do believe I am no worse for wear. Though I must say, I didn’t expect our entrance into the kingdom to be so exciting.” Glancing back down at his companion, one of the things the red-cloaked bug returned to his mind. “What did she mean when she called you a ghost? You seem quite solid to me.” Quirrel couldn’t even laugh at his own half-hearted joke, though in response, his friend looked down at themselves for a moment before pointing at their own face.
“Not a description then, but something else. A name, perhaps?” At that, they began to nod enthusiastically, and Quirrel couldn’t help but feel excited as well. Finally- after an indefinable amount of time -he had something he could call them. “In that case, I look forward to traversing the remnants of this kingdom with you, Ghost.”
Hand in hand, both of them turned to face the cliffs together.