Silk is the high-octane bug juice that keeps Hornet alive in Hollow Knight: Silksong. She burns it to heal, and she also burns it to pull off some seriously flashy offensive moves. The usual way to refill the meter is to land hits, which is great for aggressive players who treat every room like a boxing ring. But for anyone who prefers a little passive income, the three Silk Hearts are the real prize. These things quietly restore a portion of the Silk meter without asking for much in return. A player can grab two of them by simply playing well and clobbering major bosses, but the third one? Oh no, one of them is a proper sneaky little needle in a very large haystack. This guide covers every Silk Heart location in Silksong, including the boss fights, the keys, the weird locks, and the Regenerated trophy that comes from collecting all three.

Silk Heart
Boss
Location
Act
Missable?
Extra Reward

First
Bell Beast
The Marrow
Act One
No
Bellway fast travel

Second
The Unravelled
Whiteward, Citadel
Act Two
Yes
Sneaky bragging rights

Third
Lace
The Cradle
Act Two finale
No
Regenerated trophy

1. First Silk Heart: Bell Beast in The Marrow

The first Silk Heart is a nice warm-up. Early in Act One, players roll into The Marrow and find the Bell Beast wrapped up like a leftover burrito in webbing. At first, the poor thing looks more like set dressing than a boss. But after Hornet grabs the Silkspear ability, she can cut the beast loose, and then the real fight begins. The Bell Beast is not the cruelest fight in the game, but it can absolutely punish a player who treats it like a tutorial pushover. Once the beast goes down, the first Silk Heart will be floating right over its body. The key here is not to fast travel away in a post-victory daze. Snag that heart. On top of that, beating this boss also unlocks the Bellway fast travel system, which is basically a quality-of-life gift from the developers.

2. Second Silk Heart: The Unravelled in Whiteward

If completionist anxiety had a mascot, it would be this heart. While the first Silk Heart practically hands itself over, the second one apparently took lessons from a hide-and-seek champion. It is hidden in the Citadel during Act Two, and a player can completely walk past it if they are not poking their antennae into every corner. The target is the Unravelled boss in the Whiteward area. To get there, players first need to pass through the Coral Chambers and track down a white key. That key opens a lift with a lock bearing a surgical symbol, which is the game's subtle way of saying \u201cabandon all comfy vibes.\u201d

After riding into Whiteward, the hunt continues. There is a Surgical Key needed to open an ornate lock mechanism, because one ominous medical lock simply was not enough. Once inside the crypt, things get spicy. A gang of enemies jumps out, and then the Unravelled boss crashes the party. This fight can be a genuine head-scratcher, especially for players who like to brute-force bosses without learning patterns. When the Unravelled finally falls, the second Silk Heart will be floating in the air like a smug little prize. Players should grab it immediately, because second chances are not exactly on the menu.

3. Third Silk Heart: Lace at the Cradle

The final Silk Heart shows up during the Act Two finale, and it is tied to Hornet's most stylish rival: Lace. To reach this showdown, players have to learn three melodies. Think of them as the world's creepiest elevator music:

The Melody of Conductor

The Melody of Architect

The Melody of Vaultkeeper

Once all three tunes are learned, the lift unlocks and the player can enter the Cradle. That is where Lace is waiting, probably sharpening her needle and practicing dramatic entrances. Lace is fast, elegant, and more than happy to remind a careless player that standing still is a death sentence. After she is defeated, the third Silk Heart appears, and a player can finally complete the collection.

All Three Silk Hearts? Trophy Time

Collecting all three Silk Hearts causes the Regenerated trophy to pop like a champagne cork. These hearts are not just shiny collectibles; they make Hornet's Silk management a little more forgiving over a long run. The second heart is the main reason some players miss the Regenerated trophy, so anyone aiming for full completion should double-check Whiteward before moving on. As of 2026, the Silksong community has these three locations thoroughly mapped, but that second heart still catches plenty of overconfident players sleeping.

Silk Hearts are one of those small upgrades that feel minor on paper but make a huge difference in practice. A player who picks up all three will have a much smoother time in later sections, especially when healing windows are tight. So the next time someone asks why their Silk meter keeps refilling on its own, they can point to these three little treasures and say, \u201cThat\u2019s the good stuff.\u201d

For players who want to chase down every last boss and secret in Silksong, being patient with the grind is only half the battle. Managing time and knowing where to look is what separates a casual explorer from a true completionist. And for those who like to stock up on new adventures after finishing their Silk Heart hunt, keeping an eye on the best game deals today is a smart way to keep the momentum going without emptying the wallet.

Hornet's journey may end once those three hearts are in hand, but the broader world of action-platformers is full of similar challenges waiting to be conquered. Whether it is a fresh indie gem or a polished AAA title, grabbing a solid discount at the right moment can turn a casual evening into another unforgettable playthrough. After all, the hunt for rewards does not have to stop at the Cradle.

Here in 2026, I still remember the collective whiplash on August 21, 2025, when Team Cherry finally pulled back the curtain on Hollow Knight: Silksong. The announcement of a September 4, 2025 release date hit like a well-placed nail bounce in Greenpath. After years of memes, speculation, and near-total radio silence, giving the indie world just a couple of weeks’ notice felt less like a victory lap and more like a jump scare. I’ve been covering games long enough to know that timing is everything, and Silksong’s near shadow drop blew up the calendar for plenty of smaller studios.



The collateral damage was real. As of August 2025, at least seven indie titles shifted their launch plans to steer clear of Silksong. I’m not talking about tiny, under-the-radar projects either. The list included Aeterna Lucis, Baby Steps, CloverPit, Demonschool, Faeland, Little Witch in the Woods, and Megabonk. Some of those games had been in the “when it’s done” oven for years, and suddenly their teams had to decide whether to share oxygen with the most anticipated Metroidvania sequel since, well, Hollow Knight itself.

? Delayed Game
? Reaction

Aeterna Lucis
Avoided Silksong launch window

Baby Steps
Avoided Silksong launch window

CloverPit
Avoided Silksong launch window

Demonschool
Avoided Silksong launch window

Faeland
Avoided Silksong launch window

Little Witch in the Woods
Avoided Silksong launch window

Megabonk
Avoided Silksong launch window

Hell Is Us Director Calls the Surprise Date “A Little Callous”

Jonathan Jacques-Belletête is no stranger to high-pressure projects. Before serving as creative director on Hell Is Us, he worked on Guardians of the Galaxy, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution. His first solo project was critically praised in our review: “Hell Is Us is a rare gem that we don’t normally see in the gaming industry. It’s more than a game that simply “doesn’t have waypoints or quest markers.” Instead, it’s an engaging experience that truly trusts the player’s intelligence, curiosity, and active listening skills.”

But the buzz didn’t quite match the reception. Speaking on the Friends Per Second podcast, Jacques-Belletête admitted he believes Silksong absolutely affected Hell Is Us’ performance, even if he can’t prove it with hard numbers. That’s not sour grapes; it’s just the reality of a packed year. Borderlands 4 was breathing down everyone’s neck, and the summer had already been swallowed by Nintendo Switch 2, a new Mario Kart, and a fantastic 3D Donkey Kong platformer.



Still, the way Team Cherry dropped the date got under his skin. “As the ‘GTA 6 of indie’… to shadow drop something like this is a little callous,” he said. And honestly, I get it. In the same way major publishers tiptoe around Grand Theft Auto 6, Silksong is the indie equivalent of a cultural black hole. Attention is finite. We saw this with The Dark Knight in 2008—when the only movie brave enough to open alongside it was Space Chimps. The Barbenheimer schedule clash worked out, but that’s the exception, not the rule.

The moment the Silksong date hit, Jacques-Belletête and his team went into scramble mode. He described it bluntly: “We all jumped on our phones really quickly with our publisher and all sorts of things like that...a lot of emails and texts and messages back and forth between a lot of people, between us and our publisher. It was a real thing.” That image of tiny teams firing off messages while Hollow Knight fans celebrated is the indie games industry in a nutshell.

Looking back from 2026, I don’t think this is about whether Silksong deserved its moment. It did. But for smaller studios, a two-week notice from a giant can feel like being asked to politely move out of the way. The lesson for me is simple: surprise drops are thrilling for players, but they can be brutal for developers who don’t have a marketing budget big enough to shout over the noise.

For players, the flip side of a crowded release calendar is that it's harder than ever to catch everything at launch. Between surprise drops, packed summers, and tight budgets, waiting for the right moment to pick up a game has become just as important as knowing which ones to play. That's especially true for indie titles like Hell Is Us, which can easily slip under the radar before a player's backlog clears up.

That's why many gamers now track the best game deals before committing their wallet — giving smaller releases a second chance to shine when the spotlight finally moves on. A little patience, a saved search, and a timely discount can turn a game you almost missed into your next favorite experience.

Let me paint you a picture: back in Hollow Knight, Hornet was the boss who made me hurl my controller across the room in Greenpath and later in Kingdom's Edge. Now, in Silksong, I finally get to play as her. But the universe has a twisted sense of humor, because Lace has arrived to fill the vacant role of 'nightmare that lives in my head rent-free.' If you have already fought Lace once in Deep Docks and thought that was the end of it, surprise! She is back for round two near The Cradle, and she has not come to cuddle. I was on my way to confront Big Momma Silk when Lace jumped me for the second time, and honestly, I was not emotionally prepared.



This guide is written from the perspective of an ordinary player—me—who got absolutely shredded by Lace 2 the first few tries. I will walk you through where to find her, what to equip, and how to survive all three phases without losing your mind.

Where This Rematch Happens

I will not lie to you: getting to Lace's second fight is a mini-quest in itself. You will need to collect the threefold melodies required to operate the elevator near Cogwork Core. That means:

Clearing Whispering Vaults, which includes finding a secret sound cylinder for one very particular NPC.

Surviving High Halls, home to one of the deadliest battle arenas in Silksong.

Getting through Cogwork Core, a platforming and puzzle combo that will test your patience.

Once you have all three melodies, return to the elevator, play the tunes, and ride it up. Fair warning: the moment you step out of that elevator, the fight starts. No dramatic cutscene to catch your breath. Lace is just there, ready to ruin your day.

Preparing for Round Two (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Cogfly)

Before I talk strategy, let us talk gear. Honestly, there is no single must-have item for this fight, but after my own trial and error, I found a combination that kept me alive long enough to actually enjoy the choreography.



Here is what I ran with:

Tool / Crest
Why It Matters

Cogfly
Your tiny mechanical buddies do consistent damage in phase three and help end the fight before Lace's nastiest attacks can stack up.

Silkspeed Anklets
This fight is all about hit-and-run. The extra speed lets you dart in, poke, and sprint to the other side of the arena before Lace can punish you.

Barbed Bracelet
Only use if you are extremely confident in phases one and two. It can shorten the fight, but if you are sloppy, it will cost you.

The core idea is to stay mobile. Standing still against Lace is basically asking her to turn you into a pincushion. Keep moving, keep poking, and let the Cogfly do a chunk of the heavy lifting when things get chaotic.

How To Beat Lace 2

Phase One: The Needle Dance

The first phase is all about reading Lace's quick stabs and closing the distance before retreating. Her main attack is a steady string of stabs that she uses to chase you down. My advice? Sprint away, and when you are out of room, pogo off her head to escape.

She also has a jump-and-diagonal lunge. Watch where she is going to land, jump above the impact point, and pogo on her after she touches down. Her thrust attack is even nastier: she slides across nearly the entire arena in one motion. The trick is to wait for her to commit, leap up, pogo on her head, and then haul yourself to the opposite side.

One more thing that caught me off guard: her parry. If you hear the clink of her blocking your attack, run. Fast. She will immediately launch into a flurry that can drain two masks if you are too close. Treat that sound as your early warning system.

Phase Two: Bubbles of Doom

After you stun Lace for the first time, she decides to get a little more creative. Her jump attack now leaves behind three light bubbles that deal damage if you touch them. Instead of trying to dodge around them, I found it more consistent to dash under her jump and hit her from behind—there is a small safe pocket between the bubbles if you time it right.

Beyond the bubbles, phase two is mostly the same as phase one. Keep chipping away at her health, avoid the new AOE trick, and you will eventually stun her again. That is when the real chaos begins.

Phase Three: Thread Storm Nightmare

Phase three is easily the worst. Lace takes flight and marks out a huge circle covering much of the arena, then unleashes a flurry of attacks that looks a lot like your own Thread Storm ability. The saving grace? It is very well telegraphed. Whenever you see that large glowing circle with white light fizzing in the center, dash away as fast as you can.

This is also the moment I started spamming my Cogfly minions like there was no tomorrow. They deal solid damage and can shorten this terrifying phase so you do not have to survive her barrage any longer than necessary. If you can stay calm, keep moving, and let your little mechanical helpers chip away at her, you will finally put Lace down for good.

Rewards (Or the Lack Thereof)



After all that effort, you might expect a shiny new crest or a pile of currency. Nope. Lace 2 gives you no tangible reward. Instead, she unlocks access to The Cradle, the game's final gauntlet between you and the credits. So in a way, the reward is more pain. But hey, that is Silksong for you.

Look, I am not going to pretend this fight is easy. But once you understand the rhythm—poke, retreat, pogo, dash—and you save your Cogfly spam for phase three, Lace 2 becomes less of a wall and more of a very sharp, very angry dance partner. Just remember to breathe, keep those Silkspeed Anklets on, and do not let the bubbles pop your morale. You have got this.

Regardless of how many attempts it takes, that moment when Lace finally crumples is well worth every death. Once you push through The Cradle and roll credits, you may find yourself craving another challenge that tests your reflexes and patience just as fiercely. If you are looking to expand your collection without emptying your wallet in the process, checking out the best game deals curated by DealNest is a great way to stumble upon your next obsession for a fraction of the price.

And who knows—maybe a discounted gem will introduce you to a new favorite that gives you that same addictive blend of triumph and despair. Either way, you have more than earned a break. Go play something that lets you be the one dealing two-mask damage for a change.

When I first dropped into the hidden corridor below Grand Gate in Hollow Knight: Silksong, I expected another silent guardian to throw itself at Hornet. Instead, Shrine Guardian Seth stopped, looked at me, and spoke. That small gesture changed everything. In 2026, after all the waiting and speculation, his boss fight still feels less like a duel and more like a conversation. The music is unusually slow and a little sad, which makes sense once you know the story. Seth was designed with and named after Hollow Knight fan Seth Goldman during his cancer treatment, thanks to the Marty Lyons Foundation and Team Cherry. I’m not going to lie, I put the controller down for a moment before the fight began.

It hit different.



Finding the Hidden Path to Seth

I had to climb the Grand Gate elevator shaft, hug the left wall near the top, and smash a breakable panel. The path beyond demanded a few careful pogo jumps over gaps. It felt like the game was asking me to slow down. Seth wasn’t guarding a main route; he was waiting at the end of a quiet detour.



Preparing for a Fair Fight

I’ll be honest—I overprepared for this one. In the end, my usual Crest worked fine. Seth seems to want a clean, evenly matched exchange. Ranged tools and area attacks can sneak in extra damage, but they aren’t required. Comfort mattered more than optimization.

Seth’s Moveset and How I Learned to Punish Him

Seth fights in two phases with a needle and a cymbal shield. In phase one, he signals much of what he does, and the real battle is patience. His shield isn’t just gear; it feels like a partner with its own rhythm, humming whenever it lands.

Attack
Tell
My Response

Three-hit melee lunge
Jumps backward before starting
Back away, then strike once or twice after the combo ends

Ground shield toss
Hurls shield across the arena, then dashes to catch it
Jump over the shield, run to the end of its arc, and hit him during recovery

Aerial shield throw
Leaps and throws the shield diagonally
Let the shield hit the ground, run beneath it, and attack when he lands

Downward dive
Dives from the air on a diagonal
Avoid it, then keep away from the golden shockwave after he lands

No joke, that shockwave caught me more times than the dive itself. After landing, Seth usually followed it with a lunge, so I learned to stay patient instead of forcing a hit.

In phase two, Seth chains multiple dive attacks before a final lunge. The same rule applies: avoid the golden shockwaves, keep him in sight, and wait for recovery. I prioritized front or back hits because his shield made aerial approaches feel sloppy.



Rewards, Rivalry, and a Song

Beating him opened a way to Shellwood Shrine and gave me the Shellwood Shrine Key plus 200 Rosaries. But the bigger reward was that Seth survived. He lost his Shrine Guardian status and became a wandering NPC. During Act Three, I found him in Greymoor, Shellwood, Grand Gate, and Fleatopia. Each meeting gave him a little more peace. In Fleatopia, he bragged—politely, I think—about setting high scores in all the flea mini-games. When I beat those scores, I earned the Guardian’s Memento, a spiny medallion that now hangs in Bellhome.



The final touch? If I played my Needolin in front of Seth after Fleatopia, he sang along. The melody wasn’t flashy; it was an ode to perseverance and courage. That moment turned a cameo into a tribute. Maybe that’s why the boss music always felt like a memory rather than a threat.

That quiet tribute stuck with me long after I put the game down. Silksong rewards that kind of patience—the willingness to learn a boss’s rhythm, adapt, and eventually turn a struggle into something close to harmony. It’s a feeling I chase in other games too, and it’s part of why I keep an eye on what’s coming next to Steam. Between the recent Hollow Knight-inspired metroidvanias and bigger indie showcases, there’s always another arena to learn and another melody to uncover.

But with so many releases dropping each week, the price tags add up fast. That’s where I’ve found the steam deal finder at DealNest genuinely useful—it lets me wishlist everything that catches my eye and then jump in when the discounts line up. That way, the next song I’m humming doesn’t have to come with a full-price sting, and I can spend more time mastering the next boss instead of second-guessing a purchase.

Nobody picks up a wailing, vine-covered baby for fun—except the most stubborn completionists in Hollow Knight: Silksong. The Rite of Rebirth sounds like a noble wish, but it quickly turns into a multi-zone scavenger hunt that strips Hornet of her healing, her tools, and her patience. Here is how Hornet can survive the ordeal without losing her mind.

Finding the Twisted Bud

The Twisted Bud sits in a cradle on the outskirts of Bilewater, hidden behind tiny passageways. To reach it, Hornet needs the grappling hook from the Whispering Vaults in The Citadel. From there, she should head east, pull down a hook, dodge a series of very rude gears, and drop into Bilewater. After progressing a little east, she must look for a hidden path on the left near the bottom. Small side paths eventually lead up and to the right, where the cradle waits.

The real problem starts after pickup. The Twisted Bud is described as consorted mass of ashen vine. Cries out incessantly. Opening the inventory becomes psychological warfare, because the bud screams every single time.

Greyroot’s “Help” Is a Trap

After grabbing the bud, Hornet heads to Greyroot. Players who completed the Rite of Pollip will gain access to the Rite of Rebirth. It sounds like a wholesome delivery. It is not.

Greyroot accepts the Twisted Bud, grabs Hornet, infects her with a parasite, and drops her at the Chapel of the Witch in Shellwood. So much for maternal warmth. The infection imposes three miserable restrictions:

? Cannot change Crests

?️ Cannot equip tools

❤️? Cannot Bind or heal

That final restriction hurts most. Every skirmish turns into a no-hit challenge. There is one upside: finishing the game while infected opens a different ending. Most first-time players, however, will want the parasite gone before the controller goes through a window.

Curing the Infection

The easiest lead comes from the Bell Hermit in Bellhart. He tells Hornet to seek an exiled bug named Yarnaby, who has moved “high up into the moors.”

Yarnaby lives in the northwest of Greymoor. Hornet must climb the towers, push all the way west, and eventually reach a small home belonging to a rather rude individual: Yarnaby. After Hornet explains the illness, Yarnaby agrees to help, but only in exchange for a specific item: Steel Spines.

Yarnaby’s directions are deliberately vague—“a tangled mess of cages.” Players who have visited Sinner’s Road will recognise the cages in the central section. At the top right of that area, two bugs named Benjin and Crull wait. They will sell the Steel Spines for 260 Rosaries.

Item
Cost
Location

Steel Spines
260 Rosaries
Benjin & Crull, Sinner’s Road central cages

Return to Yarnaby with the Steel Spines, and she will rip the parasite out of Hornet with zero bedside manner. The reward is the Witch crest, plus the return of healing and tools. The Twisted Bud’s crying finally stops.

Final Tips for the Rite of Rebirth

? Save 260 Rosaries before visiting Benjin and Crull.

? Avoid opening the inventory while carrying the cursed bud.

? Explore Sinner’s Road early to mark the cage location.

? If attempting the infected ending, do it on a second run, not the first.

The Rite of Rebirth is less about rebirth and more about being repeatedly inconvenienced across Pharloom. But the story, the Witch crest, and the sweet sound of silence after the parasite is removed make it one of Silksong’s most memorable detours.

Once the parasite is gone and the Witch crest is equipped, the rest of Silksong opens up at your own pace. For many players, finishing this quest is also a signal to revisit other parts of Pharloom — or to start hunting for similar action-platformers with the same rich atmosphere. Whether you're picking up a physical copy of Silksong, investing in a new controller, or eyeing expansion packs, every Rosary saved at Benjin and Crull reminds us that frugality pays off.

That same mindset carries over into real-world gaming purchases. Before committing to a full-price order, it's worth checking whether a better offer is hiding nearby — just like a secret room in Greymoor. DealNest regularly rounds up discounts, promo codes, and bundles across the gaming and tech space, so you can spend less time hunting for bargains and more time actually playing. A little patience rewards exploration in Hallownest, and it can do the same for your wallet.

When I set out to collect all 20 Memory Lockets in Hollow Knight: Silksong, I thought it would be a short side errand. A few hours later, I was deep in hidden alcoves, breaking cocoons in Bilewater and juggling Rosaries at three different vendors. Memory Lockets are the key to expanding Crests, which lets Hornet equip more Tools on each Crest. Since maximizing her loadout can completely change how a fight plays out, I knew I had to find every single one.

First, let me mention the gear and unlocks I needed. The hunt is much smoother if you have wall jump, double jump, at least one Simple Key, Silk Soar from Act 3, and a decent pile of Rosaries. You will spend 480 Rosaries just on vendor lockets: Mort sells one for 150 after you pay 30 to enter his building in Pilgrim's Rest, and Frey in Bellhart sells another for 330. Keep those funds ready.



My early route looked like this. In Bone Bottom, I accepted the Volatile Flintbeetles Wish from the Wish Board and completed it to receive a Memory Locket. In the Marrow, I waited until I had wall jump, then climbed the route to a locket. Wormways, above Moss Grotto, was easier to reach once I knew the path; it sits just above the grotto. In Deep Docks, I used a Simple Key on the locked door and followed the path to the reward. The Far Fields area held two more: one from Mort in Pilgrim's Rest after paying the entrance fee and his price, and one at the end of a hidden path in the secret area that only opens after Act 3.

After that, I moved through Hunter's March and Greymoor. In Hunter's March, I found a cage at the marked position and hit it repeatedly until it released a Memory Locket. In Greymoor, the path to the locket forced me past a Mitemother, so I kept my guard up. The Bellhart region gave me three lockets. First, I entered Halfway Home and jumped to the top-left ledge to reach a hidden alcove. Second, I bought one from Frey for 330 Rosaries. Third, I used Silk Soar above Bellhart to reach an alcove that would otherwise be unreachable. That third one is easy to overlook because the unlock only arrives in Act 3.

The midgame regions tested my movement. In Blasted Steps, I followed the mapped route to the locket. In the Sands of Karak, the third seed created a forked tree; I took the left path, found the seed hanging from the ceiling, and that seed opened another leftward path ending at a Memory Locket. In the Slab, I double-jumped and broke through the ceiling, entered the cave, climbed the wall, and took the first path on the right to an alcove. In the Underworks, the room with three Rosaries devices hid a platform on the left wall; from there, I found a hidden hole in the ceiling and followed the path to another locket.

The late-game lockets required more careful navigation. For the Choral Chambers locket above the Grand Bellway Bell Beast, I started at Songlcave, passed through the Cogwork Core and Whispering Vaults, used the elevator down to the Underworks, hit the switch at the bottom without riding the elevator, and accessed the area beneath it. That route feels obscure, but the locket is sitting there once you commit to the detour. In the Whispering Vaults, a hidden path in the top-right corner of a room leads to a climb and another Memory Locket. In Memorium, I used double jump to enter and made my way to the marked position. Finally, Bilewater gave me two more. One was down a hidden path near the fast travel point, and the other was hidden inside suspended cocoons at the marked position; I broke them open and claimed the last locket.

I often ask myself: was every detour worth it? When I look at Hornet's Crests now, each one can hold an extra Tool or two, and that flexibility makes the whole hunt feel justified. If you are only planning to use a couple of Crests, you can skip some of these, but for a full build, all 20 Memory Lockets are worth collecting.

Here is my quick checklist:

#
Region
Method

1
Bone Bottom
Complete Volatile Flintbeetles Wish

2
The Marrow
Climb with wall jump

3
Wormways
Path above Moss Grotto

4
Deep Docks
Open Simple Key door

5
Far Fields / Pilgrim's Rest
Pay Mort 30 + 150 Rosaries

6
Far Fields
Hidden path after Act 3

7
Hunter's March
Hit the cage repeatedly

8
Greymoor
Follow path past Mitemother

9
Halfway Home
Top-left ledge alcove

10
Bellhart
Buy from Frey for 330

11
Bellhart
Use Silk Soar above Bellhart

12
Blasted Steps
Follow mapped route

13
Sands of Karak
Third seed left path, then ceiling seed

14
The Slab
Double jump through ceiling, first right path

15
Underworks
Left wall platform, hidden ceiling hole

16
Choral Chambers
Elevator switch route from Songlcave

17
Whispering Vaults
Hidden top-right path

18
Memorium
Double jump enter, marked position

19
Bilewater
Hidden path near fast travel

20
Bilewater
Break suspended cocoons

I hope this checklist saves you some backtracking and helps you fill out your Hornet's Crests without pulling your hair out. Sticking to the route above should get you through every locket in a single dedicated sweep, so you can spend less time wandering and more time actually enjoying the extra Tool flexibility.

Once your collection is complete, you might already be eyeing the next world to explore. If you're looking to pick up a similar Metroidvania without overpaying, a quick game price comparison can point you toward the best deals on titles that reward that same sense of discovery — because hunting down hidden secrets is always better when you got the game at a fair price.

The farming sim community received an unexpected surprise when Eric Barone, known as ConcernedApe, confirmed that Stardew Valley would receive a version 1.7 update. The announcement took place during one of the Stardew Valley orchestral concerts, where Barone appeared on stage to share the news in person. A simple pixel art message then circulated on social media after the concert, making the reveal official. Even though Barone has said he wants to focus on Haunted Chocolatier, his next project, the valley has clearly not been left behind.



No one yet knows exactly what Update 1.7 will contain. The announcement was deliberately small, which has left fans with plenty of room to speculate. Some players expect new crops, furniture, or quality-of-life improvements. Others are looking for a proper crossover nod that would link two of the most respected indie games in recent memory.

Version 1.6 set a high bar when it launched, bringing the meadowlands farm, the desert festival, and the mastery system among many other additions. Even though Update 1.7 may be smaller by comparison, the use of a full version number rather than a small bug-fix patch suggests that Barone is planning something new. Small patches often arrive quietly, but numbered updates tend to give players a reason to start a fresh save file.

A Full Circle Indie Moment

Days after the concert, Hollow Knight: Silksong arrived on September 4, 2025, and attentive players discovered Eric Barone's name in the credits. His role was in voice acting rather than design or programming, but the credit still carried significant weight. Both Stardew Valley and Hollow Knight are indie darlings with devoted fanbases. Seeing the creator of one appear in the credits of the other felt like a rare full-circle moment.



Because Stardew Valley 1.7 is in development, there is a strong chance that Barone could return the favor inside his own game. The most likely path is not a literal character crossover but a subtle item reference. A small statue, a rosary-style wall hanging, or a new silk cloth material could serve as an unspoken nod while still fitting the game's rustic fantasy world.

Potential items could include:

A carved nail-themed decoration for farmhouse walls

A silk-based tailoring material that expands clothing options

A Hornet-inspired charm or rosary to display in the home



A direct audio reference is unlikely. Barone contributed as a voice actor to Silksong, but Stardew Valley relies on simple sound effects that match its pixel art aesthetic. Hornet's iconic 'shaw' would feel out of place in the valley, so the tribute would probably be visual or mechanical rather than audible.

Stardew Valley already has a template for this kind of cross-game tribute. The Terraria crossover added items like Meowmere, but obtaining them required players to perform specific steps that mirrored moments from Terraria. A Silksong-inspired chain could work similarly. A hidden statue might be locked behind a season, a specific fish, or a bundle-style quest. If Team Cherry's world of silk and nail is referenced, it would likely arrive through discovery rather than a simple shop purchase.

The version 1.7 window is ideal for such an Easter egg. It does not need to be large, but it could deepen the connection between two landmark indie titles. For now, the only thing players can do is wait for a release date. As 2026 continues, the community keeps a close eye on any new pixel art message or patch note that might reveal what Barone has been quietly preparing.

While the community waits for any hint of a release window, many players are choosing to revisit the valley or introduce the game to friends who have somehow never played it. With the 1.7 update still shrouded in mystery, a fresh save file on a new platform can make the wait feel far more productive. Gamers looking to pick up Stardew Valley on another device or grab a copy for a friend can compare prices here at DealNest to find the best current offer across multiple storefronts.

Until Barone reveals more, re-exploring the existing content remains the most reliable way to pass the time. Whether that means hunting for rare items, perfecting farm layouts, or chasing every hidden secret the game already holds, having the title at the best possible price makes the journey a little sweeter. The anticipation for 1.7 only grows with each passing week, and the community will be ready the moment that pixel art message finally appears again.

For overseas players who prefer the Chinese version of Genshin Impact, connection quality can sometimes be more frustrating than the game itself. High ping, unstable routes, login problems, and sudden disconnections may affect everything from daily quests to co-op gameplay.
The main issue is often the network route between your current location and servers in China. Even with a fast local internet connection, traffic traveling across regions can experience congestion or unstable routing.
Why Does Genshin Impact Lag Overseas?
When playing the Chinese server from overseas, common problems include high latency, packet loss, slow login connections, and occasional disconnections. These issues can become especially noticeable during combat, multiplayer sessions, or periods of heavy network traffic.
Before changing your network setup, it is worth checking your local Wi-Fi, DNS configuration, and background downloads. If the local connection is stable but the game remains consistently slow, the international route may be the bigger factor.
Using SpeedX to Improve the Connection
A China-focused network acceleration service can provide a more stable route between overseas players and Chinese game servers. SpeedX return-to-China VPN  is one option worth considering for players who frequently connect to Chinese services from abroad.
Instead of relying entirely on the default international route, SpeedX is designed around optimized network routing. Depending on your location and current network conditions, this can help reduce unnecessary routing and improve connection stability when accessing Chinese servers.
The actual experience can vary by country, ISP, and time of day, so it is still a good idea to test the connection before deciding whether it fits your needs.
Tips for a Better Overseas Gaming Experience
If you regularly play the Chinese version of Genshin Impact overseas, consider using a wired connection or stable 5GHz Wi-Fi, closing bandwidth-heavy applications, and selecting a suitable acceleration route. Testing the connection at different times can also help identify whether congestion is contributing to the problem.
For players who frequently switch between Chinese games and other domestic services, SpeedX 海外回国VPN can be a convenient option to test alongside these basic network improvements.
Overall, playing the Chinese version of Genshin Impact overseas is possible, but network routing can make a significant difference. A stable local connection combined with an optimized route may provide a smoother experience, particularly for players who regularly connect to servers in China.

After I defeated the Last Judge and the Grand Gates finally creaked open, I expected to leave Act 1 behind cleanly. Instead, the floor collapsed into the Underworks, the elevator groaned and snapped, and I was stuck with no obvious way back. If you left unfinished quests in Act 1, don’t panic—returning is possible, but it’s a bit of a hike.



Can You Return to Act 1?

Yes, but not by climbing. The elevator that takes you down to the Underworks breaks immediately, and Wall Climb cannot carry you back to the surface. To physically return to the Act 1 areas of Silksong, you need to climb up through the Underworks until you reach the Choral Chambers.



From the Choral Chambers, smash the breakable wall and follow the tunnels filled with spinning blades. This path eventually drops you back into the Grand Gate area. Once there, drop to the bottom and head left to reach the Blasted Steps.



If you did not activate any Bellways in Act 2, this long walk is your only return route—the elevator stays broken. Honestly, the elevator giving up felt a little personal after that boss fight.

Here is the shortest foot route I’ve used:

Climb from the Underworks to the Choral Chambers.

Break the hidden wall near the chambers.

Follow the spinning-blade tunnels to the Grand Gate area.

Drop down and move left toward the Blasted Steps.

? Unlocking Early Bellways in Act 2

The walk back is doable, but it gets tedious as you push deeper into the Citadel. Fortunately, two Bellways sit very close to the opening section of Act 2. One is in The Slab, and the other is in The Grand Bellway. Both are easy to reach, but they serve slightly different purposes.



The Grand Bellway

After falling into the Underworks, go through the tunnels and climb to the Choral Chambers. Hit the lever to open a path below that leads to another room on the right. Cross that room, and you’ll enter a large hallway with floating platforms and hanging bells you can pogo across.



I recommend this as your first Bellway because The Grand Bellway also contains a Ventrica Tube. That makes it an excellent midway point that connects both fast travel methods in Silksong. Unlocking it early saves you from repeating the whole Underworks climb later.

The Slab Bellway

The Slab Bellway is located to the left of the Choral Chambers. Reaching it follows much of the same route as the Grand Bellway. From the Choral Chambers, take the path on the top left and keep going in a straight line. Then cross the large ornate bridge to arrive at The Slab.



This one is straightforward and a decent second unlock, but it doesn’t offer the same Ventrica Tube convenience as the Grand Bellway.

Which Bellway Should You Grab First?

Bellway
Location
Best For

The Grand Bellway
Close to Choral Chambers
First unlock; has a Ventrica Tube

The Slab
Left of Choral Chambers
Quick second fast travel point

Fast travel in Silksong has two layers: Bellways let you ring yourself between major locations, while Ventrica Tubes work as tram-like connectors. Having both in one spot is rare early on, so The Grand Bellway is the more efficient first stop.

As of 2026, this remains the most reliable route I’ve found. If you clean up Act 1 quests before activating any Bellways, you’ll be stuck with the long Underworks walk. Let’s be real—nobody wants to retrace that entire spinning-blade tunnel twice. So grab the Grand Bellway early, ride the Ventrica Tube when you can, and keep those old Act 1 quests from haunting you.

Nailing down this route early makes Act 2 far less painful, but you can only put the strategy to work if you have the game in hand. Whether you're picking up Hollow Knight: Silksong for the first time or grabbing a copy for a friend so you can finally talk through Bellway routes together, it's worth making sure you're not overpaying. If you want to save a little real-world Geo before your next playthrough, you can compare prices here and land on the best deal without the usual storefront hunt.

Once the purchase is handled, the only thing left is the fun part: ringing those Bellways, gliding through Ventrica Tubes, and never crawling back through the Underworks again. With the Grand Bellway unlocked and your fast travel network taking shape, Act 2 stops being a chore and becomes the sprawling adventure it was always meant to be.

In Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hornet can dodge, slash, and parkour through an entire kingdom, but even the nimblest protagonist occasionally eats a hit that feels like being swatted by a cathedral bell. That is where the Fractured Mask earns its keep. This blue Tool acts as a crunchy layer of insurance: it protects Hornet from critical damage, breaks in the process, and then patiently waits at a bench to be glued back together. Like most things worth owning in Silksong, it is completely missable. Hunters in a hurry will sprint right past the vendor like a tourist ignoring a perfectly unmarked taco stand. As of 2026, the hunt for this missable Tool still sends players rummaging through Hunter’s March like they lost a contact lens in a carpeted hallway.

How the Fractured Mask Works

The Fractured Mask is not just a stylish blue trinket. Its official description says it plainly:

Shields against critical damage but shatters on impact.

If shattered, the mask will be repaired while resting at a bench.

Mechanically, it behaves like a one-use bodyguard made of sugar glass. It takes exactly one terrible idea, does its job, and then evaporates until Hornet sits down for a rest. Think of the Fractured Mask as the cicada husk of defensive tools: impressive, hollow, and single-use until a bench breathes life back into it.

Scenario
How the damage is handled
Fractured Mask result

Fatal blow
All damage is completely nullified once
Shatters

Hit that deals two hearts or masks
One heart of extra damage is blocked; the remaining heart still goes through
Shatters

Once it shatters, the mask becomes a decorative reminder of poor decisions until Hornet rests at a bench and repairs it.

Where to Find Mottled Skarr

The Fractured Mask is sold by Mottled Skarr in Hunter’s March, an early Act 1 area. The secret vendor hides in the room directly above the trapped bench. Unsurprisingly, the game does not roll out a red carpet for this discovery.



To reach the vendor, players first need the Drifter’s Cloak, which is unlocked by completing the Flexile Pines quest. With that cloak equipped, Hornet can ride the air current at the location marked on the Hunter’s March map to reach the top of a tall shaft. On the top level, the entrance to a seemingly empty room sits on the left. That emptiness is a lie.



Players should hug the left wall and jump left to enter the secret passage leading to Mottled Skarr. After avoiding the traps, the NPC can be found sitting on the leftmost side of the room. Entering this hideaway is like finding a false back in a suspiciously empty wardrobe, except the wardrobe also has spike traps and a merchant.

Mottled Skarr’s Inventory

Mottled Skarr does not have a huge catalog, but he does have exactly what a cautious Hornet needs.

Item
Price

Curveclaw
140 Rosaries

Fractured Mask
260 Rosaries

Shard Bundle
50 Rosaries



For 260 Rosaries, the Fractured Mask is not an outrageous purchase. Players should think of it as a relatively cheap get-out-of-one-mistake pass. The real cost is the detour: climbing the shaft, sniffing out the secret passage, and surviving the traps before the shop even appears.

The Fine Print: Critical Damage Explained

The Fractured Mask only reacts to critical damage, which can happen in two specific ways:

A hit that deals two hearts or masks of damage to Hornet.

A hit that would destroy Hornet’s last heart or mask.

For fatal hits, the mask fully nullifies all damage once before breaking. For two-heart hits, it shields Hornet from one heart’s worth of extra damage while the remaining one heart of damage still goes through. In both cases, the mask works only once before being destroyed. It is not a reusable shield. It is a crumple zone in a very small, very angry vehicle: it deforms so Hornet does not have to.



Bottom Line

The Fractured Mask is one of the earliest and most practical Tools a player can grab in Act 1. It will not carry Hornet through a boss gauntlet, but it will stop one catastrophic hit from ending a run. For the price of 260 Rosaries and a brief detour through some traps, players get a single-use defensive miracle. Just do not expect it to stick around after the chaos. Like a bouncer who stops one flying bottle and then clocks out, it does its job and waits for the bench to call it back.

Managing Rosaries wisely is half the battle in Silksong, and knowing when to spend or save in-game currency is a skill that carries over to real-world gaming habits. The same mindset that makes you pause before dropping 260 Rosaries on a single-use Tool—asking whether the protection is worth the detour—is exactly what separates a savvy player from one who burns through resources without thinking. Getting the most value out of every purchase, whether it’s a defensive item in Hallownest or a game in your library, comes down to knowing where the good deals actually are.

Players who appreciate that kind of cost-benefit analysis will find familiar ground in tracking down great prices for their next adventure. Just as the Fractured Mask rewards the hunter who takes a brief detour through traps to reach Mottled Skarr, hunting for the cheapest steam keys on DealNest rewards those willing to look past the storefront. The best bargain is rarely the one sitting in plain sight—it takes a little patience, a little digging, and a willingness to check the hidden corners before you commit your hard-earned currency, whether it comes in the form of Rosaries or a credit card.