As he fell deeper into the water his panicked attempts to free himself had all failed. He was resigned to his fate until he realized he had another option. It might end his quest but it was worth a shot. He drew his axe and dug it into his leg. As it flew through he almost felt like screaming out from the pain but was able to hold back his tears. After his leg came off he started off towards shore, but he didn't account for something else. He felt light-headed and after a few minutes he passed out in the river.

"I knew you weren't the sharpest tool and the shed but I didn't think you were that stupid!". Suddenly Dima jolted awake and found himself sitting in a chair opposite of Minerva, and both were in a void.

"What do you mean?".

"You trusted a woman you had only met for the first time in a sketchy book store filled with illegal books. And then you cut off your leg and didn't even try to stop the bleeding, you are honestly a lost cause,".

"Then why am I here,".

"Well, you're my only option at the moment," Minerva replied awkwardly.

"So are you going to use your magic whoopty doo powers to save me,".

"I guess, it's not like I have a choice,".

"Can you hurry it up then?".

"Sure, just don't accidentally kill yourself again," Minerva replied in a mocking tone

And like that Dima awoke laying on the rocky shores of the Tigracy River on the Kararagi side. It was dawn, and Einshold was a long way north of where he assumed he was at. Minerva had been most cruel to Dima, only giving him his boot back. His only belongings left were his axe, backup dagger, Minerva's charm, and an old trinket of the belltower of Altinarazi. He got up onto the shore and walked upstream. Einshold was a ways away on account of it not really being part of Kararagi. It was part of a small area that a Gusteko lord had taken in a war years ago. He made 3 keeps with Einshold being one of them. His homeland spoke a variation of Gusteko's native tongue which was the predominant language there so stories of the great lord of the Einshold were common when he was a kid.

Dima walked upstream for hours baking in the sun. He wasn't in the best situation as he had lost all his money and the map in the river. His tunic had also ripped which didn't help, and neither did the fact he had no idea where he was or really where he was going.

By about noon he spotted a trading post on the river and continued on his way towards it. The post was bustling with traders and it's few residents worked their shops and inns. He wanted to figure out where he was but didn't know where to start, he couldn't even speak the language here.

As he walked past a man he yelled out "Hey you stop,". Dima stopped mainly because if someone here spoke Kararagi and Gusteko he was just in luck. "Let me see your face," He demanded, and Dima obliged. "What's your name," he asked.

"Dima,"

"Shit it is you, how are you doing man!?" The man happily exclaimed.

"Who are you," Dima answered back.

"It's me, Aigs, C'mon you have got to remember me! We used to hang out all the time when we were kids!".

"Oh yeah, you," Dima replied awkwardly. He had no clue who this man was but it was his only chance at getting too Einshold alive so he planned to bullshit his way through this and ask for some money.

"How have you been holding up, you look a little worse for wear?".

"I'm fine,".

"Well that's good to hear, come let's talk over drinks in the inn," Aigs said getting up.

"Sure, lead the way," Dima responded, following Aigs through the trading post. He led him just down the main road and into the tallest building in the post. Inside was a woman sitting next to a small table on a slightly elevated floor.

"Take your boots off, it's considered rude to keep them on," Aigs said as he took off his boots and moved towards a sliding door and waited. When Dima approached the door Aigs slid it open showing a boiling kettle at one end of the room and multiple tables scattered throughout. They moved to a table in the back corner.

"How did you recognize me?" Dima asked as they sat down.

"That small scar above your eyebrow, from when I accidentally pushed you into a tree. Sorry about that by the way. So what are you doing here in Kararagi, so far from home,".

"I'm a mercenary, I heard about some jobs here,"

"Nice. So how have you been holding up all these years?".

"Fine,"

"Good, I'm glad to see you alive. I know the whole thing from years ago is probably not a comfortable topic for you, but I don't believe you did it on purpose,".

"Thanks," Dima replied in his usual dry tone.

"Listen, if you need anything just ask, I know these years must've been hard and I want to help an old friend,".

"Do you have some money I could borrow?".

"Sure, how much do you need,".

"Enough for a few nights stay at an inn and food,".

"I'll see what I can do… Dima, what happened to you, you were the goofiest kid around , and even though I wasn't there that long after It happened you still seemed happy on the inside at least,".

"10 years of being a hired killer changes people,". Aigs reeled back a bit after that statement.

"I'm sorry for asking,". After a few seconds of silence a man came into the Inn and talked to Aigs in Kararagi. After a few seconds the man rushed out and Aigs spoke "My caravan is ready, He's getting some money for you, and a souvenir from Vollachia. It's a knife with a wolf's head engraved into the blade. I wanted it for myself but you might actually get some use out of it eh. Just want to make sure you have something if you're in a pinch,"

"I already have a knife for pinches,"

"Can't hurt to have another though,". Dima didn't reply. The man who spoke to Aigs walked in with a coin purse and a sheathed dagger. He gently put them down on the table and walked out. "Well, I gotta leave now, or else we might not make it to Priestella by sundown,"

"How are you going to cross the river?" Dima asked with a hint of curiosity.

"We're taking the long way. It would only take an hour or two normally, but the way in is closed so we have to bribe some guards about 2 hours south of the city at a crossing to let us through,". Aigs then stood up saying "It was nice to see you again take care,". As he stopped in the door frame whilst walking out he uttered "One day, I hope you can find peace,".

Dima scoffed at the thought. All he knew was battle, and knew sooner or later it would lead to his end. He unsheathed the dagger he was gifted. The curved blade and wolf's head was something to admire, but Dima didn't care enough to. He then stuffed the knife into his belt like the other and left the inn.

He wanted the conversation to end so quickly that Dima neglected to ask which way Einshold was from the trading post, luckily though at the crossroads of the post sat a sign with all different places but one that stuck out. It's Gusteko writing said "EINSHOLD" in big bold letters. He followed its directions as it led to the one place he'd been searching for.

Author's notes: Fun Fact, I'd never read berserk before starting this, and it got me back into this a lil.