Quick chapter everybody! Just a dive into the minds of the other heroes.

Icy, again. Thank you for your help on this one.

Meanwhile…

It had been quite some time since Itsuki had returned to the village he had 'freed' from the 'tyranny' of the nobles in charge of keeping the peace. It had been a difficult fight, leading another coup de ta to overthrow the actual tyrants who had used him to seize power.

The fight was made that much more difficult as he only had two members in his party. He was forced to utilize assassination methods to infiltrate and slay the despot sitting upon the Village's throne as his two members did what they could to cause mass confusion.

...yet, at the end of the night, he had finally been the hero. He took his mistake and righted its wrong in spite of the blood he had to spill.

"No cost too great… or something," He mumbled to himself as he hefted the bow in his hands as the mysterious words seemed to echo in his head much longer than expected.

[Vineyard Arc Rank: 46/75

Damage 102

Firing Speed: 8 Arrows P/S

Speed Modifier: 20

Passive (Mastered): Anti-Venom, negate all poisons

Passive: Climb any surface covered in vines

Active (Mastered): Mark, target loses 50 Defense and critical chance increased by 10%

Active: Ensnare target for ten seconds/Grow vines along any surface]

The bow had grown dark green vines which almost seemed to entwine into the darkened metal itself and it would pulsate at times as if it were alive. Sometimes, Itsuki felt the vines were trying to intertwine with his own hands. For what reason, he knew not.

"Sir Itsuki?" Ryshia had walked up to the Bow Hero worriedly as he rested upon the once again empty throne, "Is everything alright?"

"Ryshia? Oh, no… I'm fine. I think?" In his mind, Itsuki's ideals and actions ran rampant in his mind. Was he finally making up for his mistakes? Was he finally on the road to being the Hero of Justice Hollow said he wasn't? Was he finally following the right path or… Had he gotten lost upon its trail?

Moreso… was he at a point where he could look Naofumi in the eye and truly apologize?

"Sir Itsuki," Ryshia called out again, concern clear in her tone as she shook him from his daze, "Are you certain you're alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine…" He whined, "Where's Rino?"

"Here, Lord Itsuki!" The bunny girl called out as she rushed into the semi empty throne room, "I'm sorry, some of the villagers kept dropping off gifts after they were finally allowed into the food stores and treasury."

Rino. She was quite something. Almost non descript, extraordinarily ordinary… everything to the way she cast magic seemed… basic. Even from rigorous training and fighting of grander and stronger monsters, she seemed… meek. That wasn't to say she wasn't useful or a peach to be around.

Her magic was always good in a pinch, and her smile was something to be treasured… and it was quite possibly the only outstanding thing about her. In fact if Itsuki paid attention, her ability to not be noticed would off put most people. Almost like the world ignored her.

"Was it the slave paint?" Itsuki asked himself, wondering if Rino would stand up against Raphtalia or Fera.

"Lord Itsuki?" Both Ryshia and Rino asked in unison.

"I think I need sleep," Itsuki replied as he waved the two girl's worry away, "You two can take the master bedroom, I think I'll find a corner to sleep in…"

Not even waiting to hear their complaints, Itsuki had done just that as he found the softest bit of carpet he could find and quickly drifted to slumber…

Only to awaken immediately in a moss and vine filled grove, "What is this? Where am I!? Where…"

He immediately examined the darkened verdant sanctuary he found himself in, gasping in awe at it's beauty… before shrieking like a little school girl.

"My hands!" He shouted as he crawled away, "What happened to- MY LEGS! MY FEET! WHY DON'T I HAVE FEET!?"

Itsuki began to hyperventilate as he looked upon his blackened form, as if the shadows themselves solidified to form the body he now inhabited.

"Okay… this… it's just a dream. A dream…" He whispered as he attempted to reassure himself, "Right… all this thinking about Hollow and his weapon… it's got me dreaming about me being him… right?"

When none had replied to his words, Itsuki huffed and took to his surprisingly stable and pointed stumps. Looking about once more, he took note of a discarded body lying next to the entrance of a ball of vines decorated with jutting white roots. Shrugging, he decided to see where this dream would go and took a chance with the ominous entry.

It led to a fairly short cavern, a long fall leading further inside awaiting him, "No time like the present…" Inhaling, exhaling, and inhaling once more, Itsuki jumped as his now clawed hand dragged along the vine covered rock wall. Landing safely, Itsuki stared wide-eyed out into the exit of the cave, a brilliant light urging him forward.

The chamber he found himself in had been filled with a great white light… and a strange sight. A gigantic white tree wrapped in some foreign material with shining nebulous eyes stared back at him.

"And that's the strangest thing I've seen since I got here…" He said to himself as the tree giggled. Flinching in shock and falling backwards, the tree began to speak.

"Oh! Another arrives. Come closer, will you not? Please allow me to see you," A clearly feminine voice called out. Gulping, Itsuki drew close as the creature's eyes seemed to smile at him, "So much… your appearance reminds me so much of them. Have you come seeking my aid as well?"

"I'm sorry?" Itsuki asked curiously.

"I must apologise," The living tree stated as her eyes drooped, "I have no more to give, yet…" Her eyes focused, Itsuki blinking as he looked to his bow, the vines now glowing white, "It would seem I have already given you a gift."

"You mean this bow?" Itsuki asked as he held the weapon, it's white shine only growing in intensity the closer it came to the shining tree, "It's glowing…"

"I can sense it," She whispered, "Great power lies within, it's potential awaiting one of your kind to release it."

"Potential? You mean it hasn't stopped evolving?" Itsuki asked with growing shock and awe, "Wait… nevermind that. Who are you?"

"You wonder who, yet have failed to present yourself as well," She replied, her eyes smiling once more while also questioning his manners.

"Kawasumi Itsuki," He replied as he bowed.

Giggling, the living tree spoke, "Rise, Kawasumi. I am known as the White Lady. I was once queen of these ruins."

"Queen!?" Itsuki shouted as he shot up, "You're a queen!?"

"I was…" The White Lady replied, "I ruled alongside my beloved Wyrm, the Pale King… and for a time, our child."

"King… Pale King… why have I…"

"There was another like you," The Lady continued, "A vessel much smaller in stature, yet there was so much more to it then its hollow eyes."

"Wait," Itsuki gasped out, "Vessel? Hollow? Do you… do you Know Hollow? Do you know the Hollow Knight?"

Smiling eyes saddened quickly, glistening as if pools of white, "The once Pure Vessel, he is gone now. Long since passed…"

"Passed? What are you talking about, he-"

"Let us not speak of this further… instead, let us reflect upon this night, Sir Kawasumi."

Before Itsuki could question further, the world had become light.

Earlier, in the waking world…

Motoyasu had always thought himself a patient man. Calm, cool… mostly just cool. Yet being cooped up in a stuffy room for several hours on end had started to make him just a little bit antsy.

"Sir Motoyasu?" Malty called out in the middle of the training area, "Are you alright?"

"Well…" He groaned out as he pulled on his thread and raised himself higher into the air, two spears stabbed firmly into opposite walls, "When the priests mentioned that my Hourglass Spear could teleport us to Lute… and decided to keep me here another night to rest…" Malty grunted, yet hid her growing displeasure as he continued, "Look, I'm sorry. I'll go back to my bed in a bit, I just wanted a bit of air…"

"While practicing a strenuous amount of acrobatics?" The princess questioned as she crossed her arms, "Though, I must admit you look breathtaking with the way the fire makes your sweat glisten on your bare chest~"

"Thanks…" Motoyasu grunted out, "Ladies love it…" Releasing his thread, Motoyasu fell to the floor and recalled his spears, a gift it seemed from Hollow's weapon fragment. A gift that had doubled just two hours before.

[Refined Needle Rank 23/75

Damage: 106

Spear Count: 2

Passive (Mastered): Arachnid Claw, Cling onto any surface

Active (Mastered): Silk Thread, Summon a tout string of thread

Active: Hold enemy in place for ten seconds, or until enemy breaks hold]

The strange and slightly satisfying part of it was, it didn't matter if he switched spears or not, he somehow ended up with two copies. Laughing to himself, Motoyasu attempted to spin his twin Needles faster and faster, about as fast as he could while balancing and moving them in the air… until he tripped and knocked himself out…

When he awoke, he had found himself not upon the stone floor of Melromarc castle, but a stone floor covered in moss and vegetation. Shaking his head, Motoyasu began to survey the area and taking note of the strange stone structures surrounding him as well as the body of what may or may not have been one of Hollow's brothers or sisters pinned to one such structure.

"Did he have sisters?" He asked himself as he gripped his head, quickly shouting as he started to slap his hand away… only to start slapping both his hands away as he fell on his back, "HANDS! NOT HANDS ANYMORE!" He shouted as he began shouting ever louder as he gripped his now thin, insect like legs.

The only thing that kept him from total mental collapse had been the fact that he managed to have kept his weapons in… wherever it is he was, "Okay… okay… OKAY…" Taking a calming breath, he stood slowly and spun around in place, "Okay… gotta stop saying okay when this is NOT OKAY! I'm lost, my body isn't my body, and I'm pretty sure that stupid beetle had something to do with this!"

"Another foolishly walks these sacred ruins?" A feminine voice asked, Motoyasu ducking and bobbing to his left as a soaring Needle punctured the stone before him. Turning around, he jumped away as a bug creature much like Hollow soared past him, "Hoh, another warrior… I underestimated the Ghost of Hallownest once, so I shall do so no longer against your kind," She declared.

The bug girl before him had smoothed horns as opposed to Hollow's jagged design, and she wore a red dress that seemed to flow with the wind as she moved.

"Okay, look here little lady…" Motoyasu muttered as he readied himself, "I'm a Hero where I'm from, so if you think-"

"Hold!" She shouted as she rushed him once more, finding success from his interrupted monologue, "This Needle!" She shouted as she examined Motoyasu's spear as he struggled.

"Hey! Let me go you… argh!" Despite his rage, this mysterious bug's thread had proved both strong and painful.

"Yes… I'm almost certain…" She muttered as she compared her own Needle to Motoyasu's, "You! Vessel! Who gave you these Needles!?"

"Vessel!?" Motoyasu shouted, "Aha! So you do have something to do with that overgrown beetle!"

"Will you answer me, or shall I pry your reply from the confines of your hollowed skull?" She questioned as her Needle inches dangerously close to Motoyasu's face.

"Woah! Woah woah woah! Sharp object!" Motoyasu shouted as he struggled, "Fine! Fine! I'll talk! It was Hollow alright!? It was that stupid Hollow Knight!" This declaration gave the mystery girl pause as she backed away, her thread easing up before tensing again.

"The Hollow Knight, you say? The Hollow Knight no longer exists," She stated as she inched her face closer to Motoyasu's, "No Vessel exists with Hallownest… unless…"

Turning around, her thread finally loosened enough for Motoyasu to catch his breath as he watched her pace about.

"These dreams… not coincidence… that strange beast… half void, half creature…" She mumbled to herself before pointing her Needle once more at the still floored Motoyasu, "Hero Vessel! I am Hornet! Daughter of Queen Herrah the Beast and the Pale King! Should you traverse these dreams once more, I shall be awaiting I hopes that you return stronger than you are this day!"

"Woah hey! I'm plenty strong!" Motoyasu shouted in defense, flinching and crossing his Needles as Hornet clashed with him.

"Yes, it was foolish of me to underestimate the Vessels again. I await your return…"

"And stop calling me a Vessel! The name's Kitamura Motoyasu! The Spear Hero!" As he shouted his declaration, the world faded as he found himself lying face first upon one of Melromarc castle's soft beds, wondering just what it was that he experienced, "I think I need a vacation…"