Throughout Hornet’s adventures in Hollow Knight: Silksong, you’ll come across various side quests you maybe didn’t intend to do. While most can be taken on through wishes on a wish board, some are just found throughout the world. One such is the Rite of Rebirth, a wish that will take Hornet on a journey she wishes she hadn’t agreed to, punishing anyone who even thinks about helping a seemingly loveable mother. This quest is one that will require the player to traverse multiple zones, all while restricting Hornet’s abilities significantly.
Requirement: Rite of Pollip Wish
Finding the Twisted Bud
The first thing that needs to be done is finding the Twisted Bud. The Twisting Bud is essentially a baby left on the outskirts of Bilewater. This creature is one of the most annoying items you can pick up, mainly because every time you open the menu, the cries of the Twisted Bud will be heard over and over again.
It’s no wonder why you’ll want to get rid of it as soon as possible. It’s described as a “consorted mas of ashen vine. Cries out incessantly.” This Twisted Bud is surprisingly well hidden, given that you’ll likely want to get out of Bilewater as fast as possible. You can get here from the Whispering Vaults in The Citadel.
You’ll need the grappling hook, and once this is obtained, head to the east where you’ll find a hook that can be pulled down. After maneuvering through a series of deadly gears, there will be a steady drop to Bilewater. Here, progress a little to the east and at the bottom of the next area find a hidden path to the left. There will be various small hidden paths in the next area that lead up and to the right where you will find the cradle with the Bud in it.
Warning: Make sure you’re prepared to take on this questline. Hornet will be in a very restricted state until the quest is complete.
Грейрут
The next step in this quest is taking the bud to Greyroot. Provided you completed the Rite of Pollip questline Greyroot hands out, you’ll be able to take on the next quest: Rite of Rebirth. And then the quest is immediately completed. It turns out Greyroot wasn’t exactly the loving, caring mother we had hoped for.
Handing over the Twisted Bud, she will immediately grab you and infect you with the Twisted Bud parasite and then drop you off at the Chapel of the Witch, which is located in a hidden pathway in Shellwood. Unfortunately, the parasite does a couple of things:
- Unable to change Crests
- Unable to equip tools
- Unable to Bind/heal
The last bit is the part that’s difficult to swallow for some as you won’t be able to heal until the parasite is removed. With that said, it does open up a new ending if you decide to continue through the game like this, but for most players’ first time, you’ll likely want this removed.
Лечение инфекции
There are a couple of characters you can talk to, to be pointed in the right direction, but the most accessible one is the Bell Hermit in Bellhart. He will tell you to seek the exiled Yarnaby who has moved “high up into the moors.”
To find Yarnaby, you will need to explore the vast majority of Greymoor, specifically the northwest region. Climbing the towers, you’ll want to progress all the way to the west until you hit a small home of a rather rude individual: Yarnaby.
After Hornet tells her that she’s sick, Yarnaby invites her into the home and checks her out. While she can cure Hornet of her illness, she will need a specific item (Стальные шипы) that two bugs, named Benjin and Crull, will gladly part with. While Yarnaby only gives a vague explanation of where they’re located (tangled mess of cages), if you’ve been to Sinner’s Road, you’ll likely see on the map there are cages in the central section. You’ll want to traverse to the top right of this section.
Talking to Crull and Benjin, they’re willing to give you the Steel Spines, but at a cost. For the cheap price of 260 Rosaries, these Steel Spines could be yours. After exchanging the Rosaries, head back to Yarnaby who will rip the parasite from your body with the Steel Spines and give you the Witch crest as a reward.
