#clyla

I hear you with Cloth @piotrekek, but I bring you one further

My first long story and first written piece about Hollow Knight!

This one is inspired from an ask from @arty-cakes and all their art in general,

as well as many others in the community, including @scribbleshanks , @fly-sky-high-hollow-knight , @payasita​ , @soft-quirrel , @chipper-smol, @mipexch and many many many other fantastic artists that would simply take too long to list out. Just wanted to thank these amazing people before I start. ^^

PS: Unsure what title to give, I'm just gonna use a cliché one until someone gives me a better one lmao

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The adventure

"Bury the knight with her broken nail, bury the... pri.. priest?"

"In his tattered gown, Myla"

"Oh, right, right, thanks Clothy"

Chapter 1: Myla and Cloth

The two of them walk out of the mines to the orange, blindingly bright crossroads. Myla sits on top of Cloth, drowsily holding a pickaxe while Cloth is in a combat-ready position, holding out her weapon and traversing through the crossroads.

"This place gives me the creeps, the mines are much more peaceful, I hate orange" said Myla, in a resentful tone.

"Its dangerous around here, we should get up as fast as we can" said Cloth in reassurance.

"I'd throw my pickaxe at them if it wasn't for the blunted head from all the mining" replied Myla, joyfully.

With chuckles and giggles, they ascend the platforms and up the well to Dirtmouth

"Oho, what brings you two up here?" Elderbug, surprised

"Nothing much, we came to see Hornet! Myla's a little sick so we was wanted to check her out and make sure she's fine" replied Cloth as Myla climbs down her club carefully.

"Ah I see, I'm sure she'll be fine! Hornet's in sly's shop, they're probably training with the knight, would like to sit for a while?"

"Hmm sure we ca-"

As Cloth accepted the offer, a loud "-SHAW!" is heard from Sly's basement

Myla, intrigued, "But I wanna see what they're doing! Can we go watch?"

"If you say so, Myla, --Elderbug you wanna come with?" said Cloth, bringing Myla up her head.

"I'm fine, combat's not my cup of tea. You two have fun down there!"

And like that, they wave their goodbyes and part their ways, with the Cloth duo going into Sly's shop.

Chapter 2: The action

Myla and Cloth cheerily descend to the basement, loud metal clangs can be heard even outside the shop

"You're agitated today arent you, little ghost" said Hornet, panting in a parry pose.

The knight shrugged and signed the words "I guess", learning the lesson of not attacking during enemy parries.

As the knight charges up their nail art, Hornet breaks out of parry and uses a spike attack, suspending string-spike balls in the arena. The knight releases a powerful cyclone slash, the one they just learned from Mato, slashing the spiky balls into the corner of the room

Myla let out a "Woah" as the knight approaches Hornet, preparing a dash slash.

*Clang*

The nail hitting was so loud it could be heard from deepnest. Startled by the sound, Cloth hugged Myla closely and they closed their eyes from reflex.

Opening their eyes, Sly is seen in between the knight and hornet, with his nail stopping knight's nail from hitting Hornet. How did he get there so fast?

"Good job knight, nice timing on the art." commented Sly, satisfied.

"Hey that's no fair, you already beat me twice!" exclaimed Hornet, exhausted.

The knight lower their nail, and notice the Myla duo standing next to the ladder.

"Hi", waved the knight, the easiest sign language they know that even Myla would understand.

Hornet sits down and turns her head over, while Sly walks toward the Clyla duo.

"That was awesome!" said Cloth, thrilled.

The ghost smiled, signing "Thanks" to the duo as Myla jumps up and down excitedly.

Regaining her strength in mere seconds, Hornet stands up and swings over, "It'd be better if I won, ghost is way too strong. -What are you two doing here?"

"Ah, right, Myla is a little sick, she's experiencing some memory lost and drowsiness" Cloth says, as Myla eagerly touches the knight's upgraded Coiled nail, intrigued as always.

"I think the infection is creeping into the mines, we should give her some treatment" said Hornet, concerned.

With that, Sly clears off the floor of dust and spikes and the 5 of them ascend the ladder.

Chapter 3:

Chapter 3.1: Lifeblood

The 5 of them come out of the shop to meet Elderbug, the cool dude.

"Oho we got quite the party here, you guys heading down?" said Elderbug joyfully, holding a flower in his hands.

"Yeah, we're gonna give the Mantis bros a visit, Myla needs some lifeblood, she's a little sick." replied Hornet, causally.

"Oh I hope you're well little guy," Elderbug said to Myla, patting Myla's head as she delicately touches the petals of the flower, "Safe journey down there you guys, the crossroads give a stink."

"Thanks Elderbug, we'll be careful. Sly would you like to come with us?"

"Uhh, sure thing! It's been a while since I've visited my buddies", said Sly.

With that, they descend the well into the crossroads.

Chapter 3.2: Mantis village

"Myla, are you okay? Is it the mushrooms or the acid?" Cloth said while the knight looks up in concern.

"No no, I'm fine, just a little sleepy" Myla yawned, adjusting her sit.

"Take a nap then little guy, we'll be there in no time" said Cloth and Hornet, almost in unison

They chuckled, entering the mantis village.

A mantis warrior bows upon seeing the knight, welcoming their entry, the knight politely bows back.

They travel through the village and gets to the bottom of the village, where they meet the Mantis lords. They stand up and bow while the 5 travellers bow back.

"It's been a while, what brings you lots here?", said the tallest mantis.

"If we could, we are here to take some Lifeblood, Myla is a little ill" said Hornet while the knight looks at the sleeping Myla on top of Cloth.

Due to the lack of care, most lifeblood cocoons in Hallownest have died down, remaining only 2 active and reproducing cocoons: The one in Mantis village surviving due to the care from the Mantis tribe; and a man-made cocoon Joni's repose, an artificial breeding center made by the knight with the power of both Joni's blessing and lifeblood core.

"Ah why of course, we wish the little one well!"

As the knight carried Myla and climbed up the wall to the lifeblood cocoon, Hornet proceeded to chat with the Mantis lords.

"How's the deepnest going? Still giving you guys trouble?"

"Ah though there are occasional intruders, they seem to have calmed down after..." She paused, "after your mother ascended" continued the other Mantis lord

"Its okay, I'm over it, the knight gotta do their mission afterall." sighed Hornet.

"Is the little one getting infected? Is she okay?" said the tallest Mantis, shifting the center of attention to alleviate the atmosphere

"Oh, yes, the infection from crossroads are creeping into the mines and Myla is mildly affected. I'm sure she'll be fine with us around" said Cloth, optimistically.

"The crossroads are infected? Since when?" exclaimed one of the lords.

The knight, standing on the ledge of the Lifeblood cocoon, turned down and signed "Dreamers"

"I see, though with the temple being in the center, it's no wonder the place gets flooded. Please wish Elderbug well for us when you return to Dirtmouth."

"Will do!" said Cloth and the knight nodded in agreement.

Time passes while the party chats with the Mantis Lords, especially Sly as he's a newcomer to the village.

"You guys doing good up there?" said Cloth, "Need our help?"

The knight gives them a thumbs-up as they carefully cutopen the Lifeblood seed with their nail, feeding the Lifeblood to Myla.

"She looks sleepy," commented by one of the Mantis, "Does she need a place to sleep? We have a bench in our village protected by one of our senior warriors."

As she says this, the knight waves their tiny hands, holding Myla's pickaxe on one hand and pointing to the blunt unsharpened edges on her pickaxe with the other.

"How observant, little ghost, you want to find the Nailsmith?" Replied Hornet.

Decide the future of the story

Route 4a: All 5 members to Nailsmith

Route 4b: Myla+Cloth rest at Mantis village, Sly+Hornet+Knight to Nailsmith

Route 4c: Myla+Knight rest at Mantis village, Sly+Hornet+Cloth to Nailsmith

Click here to vote for the future! 

I have ideas for all 3 scenarios so just choose to your heart :D

Thanks again to the amazing hollow knight community producing many beautiful art and intriguing fanfic/AUs, curious to see which route wins :D