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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsTo escape The Slab after Hornet is captured, find the Key of Indolent, unlock the lower route, survive the trap rooms and spike climb, then reclaim her Needle and cloak from the guards. Defeating the final wave earns the Key of Heretic; from there, follow the route down to the Bellway. The Key of Apostate and nearby collectibles are optional.
How to get captured and enter The Slab
If you want to play the gear-loss escape sequence, let the cage-carrying captor catch Hornet rather than killing it. PC Gamer reports one such enemy in Deep Docks and another possible location in Greymoor after the caravan moves; it warns that killing the captor can remove that entry opportunity on the save. PC Gamer’s guide covers the captured route.
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You do not have to use this route just to explore The Slab: guides describe an Act 2 visit that does not impose the same temporary gear loss and lets you leave. The available guides do not establish that every save has identical access triggers, so treat this as a progress-dependent alternative, not a guaranteed shortcut. Silksong.codes’ guide also distinguishes the later visit from the captured escape.
Find the Key of Indolent and the first bench
- Leave the starting chamber through the breakable overhead route, moving past floor hazards and guards.
- Cross the cold exterior without lingering; the cold can damage Hornet.
- Re-enter the prison and take the lower route to the chained, glowing pickup. Strike it, then defeat the enemies it triggers to obtain the Key of Indolent.
- Use the key on the nearby locked door. Continue until you reach Grindle and the bench, then rest.
- Look for a concealed opening to the right of the bench to find The Slab map.
The key, checkpoint, and map are useful preparation for the longer route ahead. The route and pickup sequence are documented by PC Gamer and Silksong.codes.
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Get through the lower trap ambush
Unlock the lower gate with the Key of Indolent. In the ambush beyond, the room seals its exit and enemies enter. Rather than trying to defeat them with Hornet’s limited unarmed attacks, draw them onto the pressure plates: the spinning blades activated by the traps can hit the enemies for you. PC Gamer’s walkthrough describes this approach.
Make the spike climb without the cloak
At the diagonal-spike crossing, avoid jumping from the very top of the wall. Slide down to the small rock nub near the bottom, then jump and dash to the right. The lower starting point gives you a more workable line across the gap. The exact timing and inputs depend on your control scheme; another guide likewise recommends sliding down a little and dashing near the jump’s apex. See AllThings How’s route description and PC Gamer’s advice.
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Open the return shortcut when you reach it, then cross the cold exterior and continue to the next bench. Rest before heading toward the guards with Hornet’s belongings.
Recover the Needle and cloak
From the later bench, follow the route back above the guard group carrying Hornet’s gear. Reclaiming the belongings triggers additional enemy waves. Defeat the remaining enemies; the final one drops the Key of Heretic, which you need to continue toward the exit. Until this encounter, expect combat and platforming to be harder because the capture sequence took away both the Needle and cloak. The recovery sequence is detailed in PC Gamer’s guide and Silksong.codes’ walkthrough.
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- Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward.
- Evolve with powerful new skills and abilities! Gain spells, strength and speed. Leap to new heights on ethereal wings. Dash forward in a blazing flash. Blast foes with fiery Soul!
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Choose the Bellway exit or optional detours
For the basic escape, take the route down toward the Bellway. PC Gamer’s 2025 walkthrough gives the fare as 50 Rosaries; check the amount in your current game version in case an update has changed it. The Key of Apostate opens a later locked branch and is not required for this exit.
The Lost Flea and Spool Fragment are optional detours, rather than steps needed to leave The Slab. If you want to finish the basic escape, continue to the Bellway instead of taking those diversions. PC Gamer and Silksong.codes describe the route and optional rewards.
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- An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation.
- Leap into minds with the Dream Nail. Uncover a whole other side to the characters you meet and the enemies you face.
If you die and appear outside without the cloak
AllThings How reported on September 6, 2025, a bug in which dying as the final enemy wave ends can leave Hornet outside without the cloak. Its article recommended restoring the “Caged” autosave and also described a public-beta workaround, but these are dated reports, not confirmed current fixes. Read the dated bug report.
Team Cherry’s current help page explains the general rollback procedure: from Select Profile, choose a prior autosave. Reverting overwrites the current save, so the rollback can discard progress made since that save; the page does not confirm a Slab-specific cloak bug or the beta workaround. Team Cherry’s Silksong help page has the save guidance.
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