Snail Shaman - Tumblr Posts

To Kingdom's Edge And Back

Oh how the little vessel hated this climb. Back up the main column of Kingdom’s Edge to the Colosseum of Fools. It had died many times up this way just to be let back into the City of Tears at the end all because he was a few geo short to enter the first trial. The vessel took the bench in the pit though. Talking to Tiso was lovely after that ascent. The Knight hoped Tiso’s trial was going well. Only a few more steps then. Tiso. Oh Wyrm. Tiso! He lay, back in the snow, thrown from the Colosseum at the top of Hallownest. Was he dead? The Knight made a mad dash over to where his fallen friend lay latching on to the ledge and pulling itself up. Its hand was small enough to fit under the armor Tiso wore. The vessel’s cold void connected to the throat of the fighter. It was faint, but there was a beat. Tiso was hanging on to life. The vessel rejoyed. Then it started to plan. First, they needed safety. The nearest stag station was King’s Station. From where Tiso lies it would be a fall, but he had cleared out the Tower of Love awhile ago, along with that it was warm and padded. He pulled Tiso’s unconscious body onto its back, securing him with the strap ment for the vessel’s nail. It was a long way down, but for Tiso it would take that plunge.

A few more seconds. Then they would hit the snow. He raised Tiso just above its head so Tiso’s body would make no contact with the ground in case this failed. The vessel’s eyes locked to the door, and it told its body to dash. Thus, they had made it in. They were in the higher part of the Tower. How comforting the once sickening padding of the room was. The Knight jumped the small gap and brought the warrior fully into the Tower of Love. It worked quickly. Unstrapping Tiso’s from its back, opening up the fighter’s armor to assess the wounds. In the vessel’s many deaths it had grown a knowledge of area’s that could kill in seconds if left to bleed. Tiso’s armor had done him well but his arms were covered in bleeding bites, cuts, and acid. His legs were just as bad. The Knight focused the soul it had into its hands. The vessel had learned many things in the water-stained city, one of which was a very useful spell to heal those injured with the caster’s soul. The Knight rubbed Tiso’s arms as soul moved from his voided form to Tiso’s body, breathing life into it. The Knight was no healer though it could only do so much with half soul. It went to clean the route to the stag station. As it did this it pondered its options. There were a few. The first, Quirrel, last seen at the Blue Lake, with years under Monomon and in the wilds he would know a fair amount of medicine if not for others then for himself. The second, the Snail Shaman, he had given the vessel its first spell, surely the vessel could teach it what he had learned and the Shaman could apply it tenfold. The last contender was Confessor Jiji, though she dapples in the void more than the physical if it came down to her it was worth the shot. Though the Knight wanted to visit one place before he went to see any bug. The Bath House in the City was worth a gamble.

Jumping past the large guards is much harder when you have an armored bug on your back. But there was no going back now. The Spring was in view. The Knight rushes in as the guard approaches it. Striking the lever in the elevator listening from afar to the singer’s ghost that still haunts the stage, her voice always brought peace to the vessel. Finally the elevator stops and the two bugs leave it to start the small climb to the spring. Once again unstrapping Tiso from it’s back and removing his armor. The vessel grabs Tiso’s head. Holding too much respect for the fighter to remove his head scarf. Tiso will just have to deal with it if he wakes up. NO. No. When he wakes up. Tiso will wake up. The vessel shakes its head. Back to the task hand, the Knight drags Tiso into the Hot Spring, taking care to make sure Tiso’s body doesn’t sink. After minutes it had to drag Tiso back out. The vessel felt better already, but clearly the Springs did not have the same effect on the fighter. Tiso was still unconscious. Putting his armor back on, the vessel strapped Tiso back on and made his way to the elevator. To the stag then the Resting Grounds.

The chime of a bell echoed. Then the quake of legs running to the station. “Hello little one! Where are we goin-... Your friend does not look well.” The vessel nods. With no voice he could not tell the Stag of the Colosseum or of Tiso’s state. “I suggest putting him in my luggage saddle. For it seems he would not be able to sit up by himself.” The Knight shook his head. That was no place for a warrior. Neither was his plan, but it was more respectable than the luggage saddle. The Knight patted his lap. The Stag was confused “You plan to… have him ride in your lap?” The Knight nods. The Stag sighs “I cannot stop you if that is what you wish, but hold onto him tight. I don’t want to see him falling off. Now where are we off to little one?” Vessel tapped his map on the Resting Grounds. This was going to be a ride.

The Blue Lake was a far march. As the vessel sat on the bench, map in hand, it planned a path of least resistance. It would pass the statue to the Dreamers and Xero’s grave to get to the Lake. No infected bugs would be on this path. Perfect. Putting the map back, the Knight looks to Tiso. The vessel hopes the trip will end here. With Tiso reattached it waves to the Stag as he walks out of the room. Taking care to fall one platform at a time. Passing the Dreamer’s statue the vessel looks up. All of their masks were gone. Broken. The Knight still had work to do before it faced its sibling though. A friend to heal, a King Soul to bathe in void, and a Pathon to fight. It broke the seal on the Egg in case it got tired of fighting the Pathon of Hallownest and just wanted to face its sibling head on. The vessel look up from its thoughts to see Quirrel sitting by the Blue Lake. Quirrel looks to the Knight. “Ah! Hello again small friend! My… who is that you carry?” The vessel undid the straps on his back letting Tiso fall to the sandy shore. Taking Quirrel’s hand the focusing its soul so if it were hurt it would heal. “You believe I can heal your friend?” The vessel nods and pulls Quirrel toward Tiso. “I will have a look at your friend, for, a friend of a friend, is a friend of mine.” The Knight waits as Quirrel looks over Tiso. The silence was killing the vessel slowly. “Well, I’m sorry to say but it seems your friend has taken internal damage, and I am no doctor. What I could do has been done.” The vessel quivers. Its first option was down. Two to go. Hold on there TIso. I will find help for you yet. The vessel bowed to Quirrel, as a thanks. Back to the Stag then, the Infected Crossroads.

Clearing the path to the Snail Shaman came easily to the Knight. It had gone to talk with the Shaman after defeating the Broken Vessel in the Ancient Basin to ask where to get more spells from. The last runner had exploded. Time to go get Tiso and bring him through.This was becoming quite an effort. Bone rattled under the vessel’s feet as it ascended the mound, the flames flickered as it passed. Skulls or masks watch the march. The rattle of bones and the sound of something hopping into a bench startled the Shaman. He walked over to see if another infected had made way into his home. More and more these days they were finding ways in. Soon he would have to lock his door. To his surprise it was his friend, another bug strapped to its back. What possessed it to make a trip here? “Ohohoh! You gave me quite the startle friend! I thought you were another infected bug. Say who do you have here? They don’t look well at all.” The vessel looked up from where it was sitting, got up and grabbed the Snail Shaman. “Ohohoh! A little rough today, are we? Do you need me to do something?” The Knight nodded. It dragged the Shaman over to Tiso who now lay on the bench. Starting the healing spell to its hands, it looks back and forth from the Shaman to Tiso to its hands, waving them from time to time. The Shaman finally caught on, “You want me to cast the spell you are to heal your friend here? Hmm…” The Shaman looked almost guilty. No. Please. “Shadow I will be blunt with you. I craft spells. And the craft takes time. I have a very difficult time learning spells from others who can speak, let alone a Shadow that cannot. I will work on making a spell that I can use to heal your friend, but it will be days. I suggest you try someone, or something else in the meantime.” The spell dissipates from the Knights hands. Void starts to well in its sockets, as its body shakes, it looks to Tiso and nods. The Knight made sure the spell didn’t waste as the Shaman talked, which means he had more time, but at what point would it be pointless to continue Tiso’s suffering? At what point would it give up? It knew half an answer. Not now. The vessel wiped the void leaking from its sockets, cleared the way, thanked the Shaman for his time, strapped Tiso back on once again, and headed for the Station. Two down, one to go. Confessor Jiji was the vessel's last hope.

The vessel needed more rancid eggs. Worst of all there were very few left in the world, around three, and the Knight wanted ten before it went to see Jiji. It would have to visit Tuk. The vessel despised the Fluke and all that they are. Not only were they creepy, even compared to the beast of deepnest, they were frankly a pain in the ass to kill. Luckily the Knight didn’t have to carry Tiso with it even though this would take awhile, it had a plan. It had left Tiso strapped to the Stag, so if the need arose, the Stag could take off without worry that Tiso would go flying. The vessel entered Tuks' little hole with three eggs already in hand. It paid for seven more. Hopefully this would be enough for Confessor Jiji. For a moment the Knight thought of buying ten more. But it quickly turned down the notion. If Jiji wanted more the vessel would gladly pay after Jiji did whatever she needed to do. Time to go. The bench felt nice after the smell and dampness of the Waterways. “Ah! Welcome back little one, are we off to Dirtmouth?” The Last Stag question. The Knight unstraps Tiso and nods. Its last hope. Please, let this work. This must work. For Tiso. For me. Void drips from the vessel's empty eyes. A rumble shakes the ground as the Stag charges off to the Knight’s last stop.

As the Knight emerged from the Stag Station Sly’s and Elderbug’s conversation came to quick. They saw who the vessel had strapped to itself. The brave man in seek of the Colosseum of Fool. The warrior looking for a challenge The light in his eyes was gone. This left only darkness in its wake. The Knight passed Bretta and Zote. This only allowed Zote to slander the vessel further. “I bet that beast killed the warrior. No doubt in fact. I only wish I was there to save that wonderful bug.” Zote toted. Zote can shove it. “Another dead to bury? Hand him over, ittle nuisance.” The Knight slapped the ghosts hand away. You will pull this bug off my corpse. I dare you. The vessel steps into the Confessor’s cave. Tired from carrying Tiso for so long. “Ah, hello again. Have you- Oh. I see you brought your regrets strapped to your back today.” The Knight pulls out all the eggs it carried. Void threatens to drop onto the Confessor’s floors. The Confessor reaches out a claw to the small vessel, “Hush now. You have travelled to many places to help your friend. But found no one capable. Your travels end here, though.” Does Jiji mean… No. Jiji, please help him. Please. I can’t. I can’t- “Did you know before I became a Confessor I wanted to be a doctor. I even went to school in the capital!” Huh? The vessel looked up. Was Confessor Jiji truly going to help it? Or was she just spinning a tale to calm the Knight. “Can I see the patient please?” The Knight pushes the eggs first, “No need for payment for this work. I will always mend the physical for free.” The Knight turns around to allow Jiji access to the strap on its back. Once Tiso’s weight had left it, the vessel turned to follow after Jiji. “Do you want to help?” The Knight nods, firing up the healing spell again. “Okay then, you may help me. Just try not to get in the way of my tools. This work will be more delicate than just summoning a shade.”

The procedure felt like a lifetime. The soul from the Knight moved slowly to last. For the vessel doesn’t know what would happen to its friend if it was not there, feeding the body, keeping Tiso breathing. Watching Jiji work inside Tiso hurt as though the vessel was Tiso. The Knight was used to blood, guts, and gore, the infection did cruel work on the bugs it wormed inside. But this was its friend. The Little Fool would suffer after this. The vessel looked over its friend. The whole Colosseum will be purged of every bug, beast, and insect. I promise those fools will know the rage of wyrm, root, and void, Tiso. The Confessor started to sew up Tiso, as the vessel started to shake. “Are you okay?” The vessel nodded as the soul in its hands started to fade. “You look tired. You should stop that spell,” Jiji looked from her work, “It will take everything from you and give it away, if you are not careful with its use. You need to stop.” The Knight shook its head. Not until you're done. Not until Tiso is closed and in a be- The white pouring from the vessel’s hands stopped as its body fell to the floor. It felt so tired. But there was still work to be done. The vessel tried to pull itself to Tiso. Please. I’m tired. But I need to help. I need help. I can’t. Not yet. Not don- And with a thud, as the last stitch was placed into Tiso, the vessel’s heavy skull hit the floor. Passing out. The void consuming it as if birthed again.

The Knight awoke in a strange room. On instinct it took out its nail and looked around. There in a bed next to the vessel lies Tiso snoring. On the other side, Confessor Jiji was also asleep. No infected bugs. Nothing to do but wait. Well. The others did need to eat. The vessel walked up to Jiji holding out a rancid egg, the smell awaking Jiji. “I see you have woken. I warned you of that spell.” The Confessor looked to the Knight. “Again I do not need payment for this work.” The vessel shook its head. Holding up the egg to Jiji. To eat. Not for work. “Ah, thank you for the food though. I will be delighted with this meal.” Next to stir was Tiso. “Pale... thing? Where are we? I… must get back to the Colosseum. Ack!” The stitch sent a shock up Tiso's body as he tried to move out of the bed. “Ahh good morning to you too. Your friend here brought you in. You have been badly injured, but I was able to mend most, if not all damage. Since you will be with me for a while may I ask your name? Mine is Confessor Jiji by the way.” At this point Tiso noticed the lack of his armor. He frantically felt around his head to check if his veil was still there. He felt more at ease with the knowledge that the hood was still there. “My name is Tiso. How long must I stay here?” The Knight watched the back and forth between Tiso and Jiji, happy that they got along. Happy Tiso was alive. “Ah! Pale thing. You’re crying, is something the matter?” The Knight shakes its head and using its hands draws a smile across its face. I’m happy you're alive. “By the way. Thank you. Really. If not for you I would have died. If you need me you know where to find me, Pale Thing.” The Knight nods as it leaves the cave. It walked into town and rested on the bench. It had much to do. But first. Revenge will be sweet. The Knight heads to the Stag asking for the City’s store room. The Colosseum shall pay with soul. It walked up to the Little Fool handing over the geo for the first trial after resting and tweaking its charms. It placed its mark on the challenge. The pit door, closing, the gathering of great bugs roars. Today a new Fool will be crowned, debts shall be paid, and the Colosseum will know what the rage of wyrm, root, and void looks like. Hail to the voided vessel, Fools of Hallownest, and recognize the King.

and the snail people in Hallownest are called sneople???