//------------------------------//
// Pep 
// Story: Lost and Hope 
// by Star Side 
//------------------------------//

Lord, Your humble servant pleads Your protection as I'm going through difficult times. And I plead You Your help to the deeds that I shall do." Pep finishes his prayer and continues his walk to the town.

The path is longer but surely safer. It also looks more stone-made than the mossy system with the cave plants and glowing crystals. There are several abandoned belongings that either fell or because the owner died with it. Mostly because they fell. Sometimes Pep comes across structures such as houses and statues. All of them are, of course, made from cave stone. In some of these houses are bugs that are also trying to survive, just like Pep and "the otherworldly".

"The otherworldly", that's what the bugs in this world call the victims of the unnatural phenomenon where they are brought from their world into their world for an unknown reason. The High Monks don't even know why or how but they speculate this is the doing from a being with great abilities.

As Pep approaches the town entrance, he travels on the rooftops as the infected bugs roam the streets. You see, most bugs all across the kingdom of Hallownest have their mind taken over because of a powerful being called The Radiance. Due to her tribe turning against her in the far past, she has spread the infection all across the Kingdom of Hallownest.

Now traveling along the rooftops, Pep makes his way to the herbal shop he usually comes to. But as he finds out, the infected bugs are rioting at the shop as the owner and his family are screaming for help. Pep quickly flies and gets rid of the bugs using his spear. It was a bit rough since there were a lot of them.

After clearing the infected, Pep checks on the shop owner and his family, fortunately they're okay, just some of their properties are damaged.

"It's alright, at least we're saved, thanks to you."

"Yeah, The Lord protects. Oh, and about your properties..," Pep says as he looks outside. "I can help you to repair them."

"My Lord! You're too generous! I'm sure you have a more important business."

"Oh, talking about that...yeah, I do need something."

"What is it?"

Suddenly, the owner's family interrupts their discussion.

"I'll get back to you," he says as he goes to the back.

Pep sighs as he sits next to a window, keeping eyes on the streets in case more infected comes invading at the house. After a while, the owner returns to Pep.

"What was that?" Pep asks.

"Nothing, just family things. No need to worry about it. So, what do you need?"

"I need some herbs for medicine."

"Ah. Running low on medicine, don't you?"

"In fact, I have none."

The owner is stunned a bit after hearing that, "A-ah, alright." He continues to get more herbs and packs them up in one package.

"How much is it?"

"I'll charge you less since you -"

"No, I want full payment."

"Wha- but you've saved us!"

Pep hands the whole 680 geos on the owner's hand, stuttering him.

"Thank you…"

"I hope that covers the property damage too. Well, I'll get going, see you later. The Lord protects."

"The Lord protects."

Pep walks out the herbal shop and makes sure no infected is around the house at the moment. Then he takes the same rooftop route.

On the way, Pep encounters an aggressive flying sentry. Pep tries to get away but the sentry keeps catching up at him, leaving him no choice but to fight. Pep flies to the cave ceiling and charges at the sentry with the spear pointed at high speed. But the sentry somehow deflects the attack and throws Pep out of control and charges to finish him off.

As the sentry gets close to him, Pep throws a rock at the sentry's eye, knocking him, then striking him down with his spear. With the battle won, Pep continues his way home.