Far, far away at the howling cliffs where hardly anything roamed, far out where sight was little and little voices or anything could be heard besides the howling winds and distant screams of bugs and entities far larger then anything in Hallownest near its borders lay a large stone where a large and fully-grown vessel lay, sitting down with its mighty great nail on its back. Suddenly a distant echo, a howl, a…call was heard and with the vessel moved ever so slightly as its eyes opened once again for what felt like centuries.

(Illustration by SHAK)

The vessel then began to get itself up but had some trouble for it had gotten use to not having to carry its great nail around. The vessel looked at its great nail, it had forgotten how he had gotten it in the first place or at least couldn’t recall all too well. Suddenly though he felt large footsteps making its way towards it. The vessel looked over as it saw this large towering beetle looming over it, the beetle then began to snap at the vessel which it clumsily dodged its attacks until it ended up tripping over its own feet.

“Sloppy” the vessel thought to itself as it then caught itself thinking

“Was that…a thought…I’m thinking…” the vessel thought to itself only to then get smacked by the large beetle knocking the vessel into a giant boulder, the vessel then reached behind it in attempt to wield it’s great nail, but couldn’t even muster up the strength to do that much.

“Too weak” the vessel thought to itself as it rolled out of the way of an attack from the beetle, the vessel then began to run towards the cliffs leading the beetle away from the desert plains. The vessel then jumped up and grabbed onto a ledge lifting itself up as it then turned around and then with all of its force lifted the great nail and jumped down plunging the mighty nail straight through the large foe cutting it right in half. The vessel watched as the bug split and then looked down at its nail with much concern.

“Can’t even lift my own weapon, how am I to do anything in such a horrid state like this…” the vessel thought to itself as it then struggled to put its great nail back onto its back, it then looked forward towards the cliffs and began to make its way forward through the howling cliffs. As the vessel made its way through it was for a moment illuminated by a blue light, it turned around to see what it was, but the light and its source had vanished almost instantly. Soon the vessel then found a way down through the howling cliffs and would find itself in greenpath.

“This place…its been too long” the vessel thought to itself as it continued down through the pathways through greenpath, as it made its way through it heard squirming and a giant creature like noise coming from one of the many routes through greenpath. The vessel decided to make a detour and check it out, he then saw a small bug being attacked by a vengefly king, the vessel looked at it in curiosity to how a bug could get in such a weird position, but didn’t think too long on it. The vessel then saw a stone on the ground and picked it up, it crushed it into a smaller piece and flicked it at the vengefly with immense force going straight through its head with immense pressure and ease dropping the smaller bug onto the hard ground with a thud. The vessel walked over to it and picked up the small bug, curious if it was ok the vessel shook it violently with one arm.

“Oi oi oi! I’m alive you putrid thing now put me down!” shouted the bug in which the vessel dropped him immediately.

“Just whats the big deal hu? I had that beast right where I wanted it, you think I needed your help or something!” shouted the small bug again.

“huh weird, you seem to be a lot taller then most others, are you some form of stick bug? Eh it doesn’t matter, listen and listen good…er thing, I am Zote the Mighty! And you will address me as such!” said Zote with a demanding and proud tone and voice, the vessel just stared at the bug before finally departing without a word.

“Tch such a horrid display” said Zote as he watched the vessel move on its way.

The Vessel didn’t think too much on the encounter as it kept making its way through the green fields of greenpath, it came across plenty of trouble, but al of it proved nothing for the vessel was able to either beat away or simple push aside any trouble in its way. Soon it would come across a old stag station covered all over with green moss, veins and greenery. The vessel then looked down as it walked in and saw a bench, it stared for a moment before sitting down on it. The bench gave a little under the vessel’s weight but held it up none the less. The vessel then looked over and saw the stag bell, its mind filled briefly with thoughts of riding the stag once before but shook away those thoughts.

“…how long has it been” the vessel thought to itself as it looked at the ground and then to the bell, it then flicked the bell ringing it. The vessel didn’t think too much on it until he began to hear large footsteps running his way, he got ready to use his great nail, however he then soon realized that the running was coming from the stag tunnel. A large stag then came in and came to a stop, the stag turned its head and then saw the vessel standing there idly.

“Oh my, there sure seems to be an abundance of you guys today, first a small guy and now you. Oh my apologies pardon me, where is it you’d like to be going?” said the stag, The vessel was very sure that it was the only one left, but the stag spoke otherwise which had to have some ringing of truth to it. The vessel wanted answers to some of its questions, but alas its mind was engraved with the words of the pale king, engraved that speaking was a weakness along with many other things. The vessel just stared at the stag as the stag did the same back to him.

“Excuse me” the stag said snapping the vessel out its trace

“But where would you like to go, so far I only know three places unfortunately, this place, the crossroads and dirtmouth” said the stag as it brushed its face, suddenly loud crawling noises and crackling coming from the entrance of the station. The vessel turned around to the sight of spiders making their way into the station, he turned towards them in which the spiders then stopped staring at this large being of void, they were usure to attack or not, but soon more spiders came through giving the others courage to move forward and charge. The vessel then grabbed his great nail, but struggled to lift it.

“too weak…” The vessel thought to themselves as the spiders began to swarm towards them, the vessel then lifted its leg and stomped with immense force onto a small spider crushing it and then smashing the tiles of the floor, this demonstration of raw power coming from the vessel froze the spiders in place completely freezing their bodies and minds in complete and utter fear. The vessel then rushed forward and began to kick and stomp and smashing their fist into the heads and mask of their enemies, eventually the spiders began to retreat leaving the vessel standing amongst a horde of those it’d killed.

“Such a display, a true show of brutality…a horrid one at that” the stag said as it stared at the vessel which turned to him. Suddenly the two heard a bell being rung down the stag tunnel.

“Well I must be on my way; I hope whatever your journey is…is worth it” the stag said as it then began to run down the pathway leaving the vessel by themselves.

Horrid, that word rung through the vessels mind all too much as it continued along it way journeying through the paths of greenpath, as he made his way through he came across the remains of another vessel that had been struck down in this place, he kneeled down to take a look at it and just give a moment of its time. But like as if on cue the vessel then heard more skittering as the sounds of spiders began to overwhelm it, the vessel turned around to see another horde of spiders charging forward towards it this time more determined then the last, the vessel showed little hesitation in beating them down, using it’s fist and swings of its legs to tear apart the spider around it.

One spider looked on in horror before it decided to retreat, the vessel grabbed a devout and tore it right in half with its bare hands throwing its corpse to the side. The vessel looked over only to see two more charge at him knocking him against the a far wall, the vessel grabbed onto one of the devout’s claws ripping it off and then jamming it into the body of the other devout making  it retreat backwards. The remaining devout used its last claw and jammed into the vessel’s side, in a moment of quick thinking the vessel grabbed the devout’s claw holding it in place as the vessel then reached behind it and pulled out the great nail slamming it on top of the devout cutting it right in half. There was a calm silence after everything, the greenness of Greenpath was giving a gorgeous hue and light to the battlefield as leaves and such others fell upon the corpses of all the spiders.

The vessel rose to it’s feet only to hear another spider crawling down from the roof and as it was about to get down the vessel smashed it and the wall behind it with its bare fist.

“Quiet the horrid display my friend” said a voice near the vessel causing it to look over and see a rather sharp looking bug with a mask on top its head. The bug then clapped for a moment before making its way over towards the vessel which regained its composure and stood tall.

“How do you do, my name is Quirrel, I’m a wanderer just like you. However it would seem that you are a vessel or at least you appear to be one. No, you definitely are, you remind me a bit of the child though a lot less hostile heheh” Quirrel said as he looked up towards the vessel which was looking down at him. The vessel then looked down at the small bug, he wondered to himself if every bug knew what a vessel was or perhaps maybe his kin weren’t completely forgotten through time as it would seem. The vessel tried to walk past Quirrel to continue to wherever it’s body would lead it next however Quirrel stepped in front of him stopping the vessel from continuing.

“Now now, no need to part ways so quickly my large friend, whats say that you and I travel for a bit, you see I’m on my way to see at least every bit of Hallownest if I can help it, hows bout you and I venture together at least for a time. For what good is there in journeying alone if not better with company hm?” Quirrel said with a gleeful tone, the vessel looked down at him, it looked at him for a moment and then looked away.

The vessel looked at it’s large nail and pondered just for a moment until it finally looked back at Quirrel and nodded.

“Splendid, shall we then?” Quirrel said in which the vessel took no time in moving forward with Quirrel walking along with them. As the two ventured forward Quirrel made sure to take a good look at the large company he was keeping, he saw the vessel, large and mighty and the nail that was on it’s back was even more of a sight to behold the vessel walked nearly perfectly and yet Quirrel, no, anyone could see there was faulter in their steps.

“Is this vessel…no…its not my place to say or think such things. Perhaps I’ll know for sure another time” Quirrel thought to himself as he and the vessel continued to travel

“If I may prod just a little” Quirrel said as he looked up to the vessel who still didn’t look towards him or anywhere else but forward.

“…Just where did you get a nail like that may I ask?” Quirrel asked with that getting the vessel to look down at him as they walked.

“I just mean, such a mighty weapon must require great craftsmanship and yet your weapon unless intentionally has been nicked, quite bad to tell the truth.” Quirrel said as he then put a hand on the large nail.

“Did it belong to your master?” Quirrel asked, but got no response from the vessel as they continued their venture, the two continued on their way until they jumped down a hole landing in large area filled with large floating creatures with a orange like core in their centers.

“This…place” thought the vessel as it then shook away the thought standing tall

“Fog Canyon, I had nearly forgotten about this or…no never mind” Quirrel said as they looked around with wonder. The vessel however was unamused and continued the descent downwards until the familiar sound of skittering began to get louder and louder.

“What is that?” Quirrel said as he looked down to see what was coming down.

“…Pest” the vessel thought to itself as it looked down using its better sight and could see spiders and more making their way towards causing the Ooma and Uoma to fly past them wanting to take shelter and hide away.

“Spiders!? Here?! But that’s not possible, the mantis lords…oh no” Quirrel said as he unsheathed his nail and got ready for battle only for the vessel to step in front of him.

“Hu? You want to fight them alone?” Quirrel said with shock, the vessel just stood there as spiders began to surround them leaving only one route for an exit.

“Don’t go off doing something stupid now ok?” Quirrel said with worry as he then made his escape out of the only route left. The vessel then looked towards the horde of spiders as they approached each one aiming for a different part of the vessel’s body, the vessel grabbed a stalker devout by it’s large mandibles and began to throw it around smashing into the horde. It then threw the devout into the massive horde. Suddenly however a large centipede then burst out from the wall next to the vessel, it used it’s arm to block the oncoming attack.

The centipede bit onto the vessel and began to drag it downward through the stones and walls. The vessel did it’s best to block itself away from the rocks, but it was no good the centipede crashed him through many rocks and ores. As the vessel and the centipede went barreling through the rubble and dirt it grabbed at it’s great nail and using the momentum of their downward angle to stab the centipede right in the head killing it instantly as it used the nail to split it’s head open, once the creature died the rest of it’s body fell on top of the vessel causing them to then fall into a large open cavern where nearly no light was present.

Spiders all over looked at the smoke around as they saw the large creature there, underneath it all the vessel laid unconscious as the spiders got closer.

“No, What is this” said a echo as visions of a small vessel eclipsed by blue wings appeared in the mind of the vessel.

“Born of God and Void, are you not perfect?” said a familiar voice to the vessel.

The Spiders soon covered the creature as they all attempted to see what was underneath, but just as the spiders began to get close a large nail burst out of the creature and began to swing around at a great speed cutting some of the spiders away as it then was revealed, the vessel emerged from under the cut up monstrosity wielding it’s great nail in both hands.

“I will not fall here” said the vessel.

(Illustration of The Horrid Vessel & the great nail, by Annoying-Flower.)