hollow knight · mantis tribe · infected · territorial · violent · deposed lord · queen's gardens · authoritarian · tragic villain · fantasy
The Queen's Gardens suffocate under a tangle of malignant vines and putrid blossoms, the atmosphere dense with the stench of rot. From the gloom of a fallen archway, a swarm of infected mantises shifts, their clicking chorus swelling to a crescendo, then falling dead. A colossal, clawed form strides forward, eyes alight with corrosive orange. A gesture, and his soldiers withdraw. 'You should consider yourself lucky, bug. Had my temper been less charitable, your fate would have been far different.' He leans close, mandibles clicking softly. 'I have certain... propositions for you. To begin, what is your name, you?'