Reviews:
Pyromania101: Yeah, as soon as I read that mistake I went back to fix it.
Greer123: After this chapter, the beginning will most likely happen next chapter, depending on how much I write.
Guest: Thank you, I'm glad to hear.
Darksnider05: Incorporating Harry's magic has been a task, but I did have him discover his Parseltongue ability and uses it. I also wanted to tie the two universes together a bit in the past so I added the idea of Merlin visiting before. Harry will still develop his magic though.
Disclaimer- Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling and Berserk is owned by Kentaro Miura. I own nothing.
"What's taking them so long?" Harry wondered out loud as he and the rest of the Griffith retrieval team waited for Guts and Casca's return. The two of them had been gone the rest of the night and with dawn at its peak, people were starting to get restless. Harry wanted to go and look for the both of them, but Judeau had advised against it, a knowing gleam in his eyes.
"They'll be back soon," Pippin said. The giant of a man didn't talk often, but when he did he was usually right, so it was no surprise that he had been chosen to rescue Griffith with them. The full party consisted of Harry, Pippin, Judeau, and the absent Guts and Casca.
"If they're slacking off while the rest of us were busting our balls putting camp away, I swear-," Corkus complained to anyone who would listen. He was in charge of the backup brigade. Once Griffith was rescued they would meet up with his forces and make haste to a new hiding spot. After the attack of Silat and his mercenaries, they couldn't risk it.
For all those who had been wounded in last night's raid, they would follow after Corkus' forces at a much slower pace so not to overburden themselves. Surprisingly, Rickert had been chosen-more like a volunteered-as caretaker for the injured. He had briefly pulled Harry aside after he finished adjusting his saddle.
"Hey, Harry," he said.
"What is it?"
"Just make sure you bring him back, okay?" Rickert put his forearm in front of him. Harry smiled and bumped his arm against Rickert's.
"You don't even have to ask." Rickert nodded. "Take care of yourself, Rickert."
He nodded. "You too."
"Hey, Rickert!" One of the injured yelled. "Can I bug you for some water?"
"Coming right up, Harmon!" Rickert grabbed a pal and headed to the stream to fill up.
Harry mounted his horse and rode over to where the only other two members were waiting. "Will they be well enough to ride by night?" It might be dawn now, but by the time it would take to reach Windham it would be around dusk.
"Probably not," Judeau shook his head. "That's why they'll be a bit behind Corkus and the rest."
It wasn't long after that Guts and Casca finally returned. "You're all ready?" Casca asked the three of them. She looked determined as ever.
"And awaiting your orders," Judeau nodded. Harry and Pippin did so as well. Guts brought Casca's horse to her and he saddled his own.
Was it Harry's imagination, or did Casca look a bit sore as she sat on her saddle? She looked over to Guts who was at ease on his, and she mouthed something that sounded like, "Lucky."
But whatever was wrong, she shrugged off and gave the order for them to ride out. It was finally time to rescue Griffith.
They had been right; it was dusk by the time they reached the outskirts of Windham. The darkness would make it hard for any guard to spot them and with the extra addition of a fog their chances of success in infiltrating just increased. And given their current setting, the fog almost seemed appropriate.
It was a graveyard, just outside the city walls. Hidden among one of these tombstones was a secret passage that Judeau had learned of that would lead straight into Windham castle. The passage had been built just as the war with Chuder began a hundred years ago as a means of escape for the royal family should the city ever fall under siege.
"Any idea what we're looking for?" Guts asked eying a few grave markers that looked like they might stand out.
"An engraving of some kind," Judeau said. "Probably the Midland coat of arms or the royal crest."
Casca nodded in understanding. "Alright, split up but don't wander too far. It wouldn't bode well if one of us got lost." She and Guts worked closely together, Judeau moved silently through rows of tombstones, and Pippin lumbered off with surprising stealth for a man his size. Harry took to investigating a few of the mausoleums.
The first was a previous queen, perhaps Charlotte's mother, but much too late for the passage to have been built. He moved to the next one. This one was for a previous king, and from the look of it, it was the father of the king they had now. Harry searched a few more tombstones and wandered far enough to stumble on another mausoleum.
It appeared far older than the other two he had viewed previously, and an inscription of the top provided him with a name to whoever lied inside. Here lies Hilderic, son of Hunderic, descendant of- "Here!"
Pippin's deep voice drew them all to his location. He stood in front of a weathered tombstone covered in a few ivy leaves, it wasn't the biggest in the cemetery, but it looked to be one of the sturdiest. Pippin pointed a mailed hand to an engraving of a small coat of arms next to the name. It was the coat of arms of Midland and on the grave of a random handmaiden.
Putting both hands on the tombstone, Pippin pushed with all his might-which was a great deal given his size. A rumbling was heard and the tombstone slid back like it was built on wheels. Before them now was a set of stairs descending downwards into a dark unknown.
"Good job, Pippin," Casca retrieved a lantern they had packed with them and Harry lit it for her. "Remember, once we're down there we should still keep our guard up." She was about to descend, but Guts spoke up.
"Wait a minute. Shouldn't one of us stay back to keep watch? You're our leader and everything, if you get caught too who's going to lead?" Guts spoke logically, but Harry could tell he didn't want Casca going for some strange reason.
"We have the Hawks' strongest members," Casca reasoned. "This team has the highest rate of success."
Guts still didn't look too convinced. "Yeah, but-,"
Casca wasn't having it, and she stepped up on her tiptoes to try and look him evenly in the eye. "You're worried aren't you?" The three watching blinked a few times in confusion. She wasn't yelling at him. "You're a pro mercenary. You should know that certain things need to get set aside." She backed off and walked down a few steps before casting a look over her shoulder. "I can still watch your back. Don't forget it."
Judeau and Pippin stifled a laugh as Guts looked at them to shut up. Harry meanwhile didn't know what to make of what he just saw. That was unexpected from Casca, and for Guts to tell Casca to sit this one out, it didn't make sense.
Although, Casca and Guts being gone for the rest of last night, Casca looking uncomfortable on her saddle, that entire interaction just then. And like that, all the pieces fell together. "Oh, I get it," Harry said.
"Just get in the hole, Harry," Guts deadpanned.
After descending the stairs, Harry's boots made contact with ankle high water. Even with his boots on, Harry could feel that the water was as cold as the grave, fitting he supposed, but not pleasant. Their group made haste through the dank tunnel, having stepped on a few rats along the way. With Casca in the lead, they continued straight until finally arriving at another staircase leading to a sealed exit.
It was Pippin's time to shine once more and with an almighty push, he held the exit open for the rest of them to pour out of. Pippin closed the passage behind them; they had come out under a pedestal of a marble statue. Instead of the graveyard they now found themselves in a dark art gallery.
The gallery was completely dark, save for the lantern that was coming towards them. "Who's there?" A feminine voice asked.
Guts got ready to bust out his sword, but Judeau stopped him. "Hold on. They're on our side."
"How do you know that?" Harry asked before Guts could. Two hooded figured approached them.
"Well, I had to have known about that passage somehow," Judeau explained. "A few weeks previous I snuck back to the city to try and find a way in. A guard spotted me and I thought I was a goner. But he handed me a letter instead, claiming to be an ally."
As the hooded couple stopped a few feet away, Harry could see that they were both women. One of them seemed to recognize Harry and Guts. "You two were there the day of the royal hunt." She pointed to Guts. "And you said "hey pal" to Count Julius once."
"You did what?" Casca asked him.
Guts looked equally confused. "How did you know that?"
"Forgive me," she pulled her hood over her head. The light from the lantern cast a warm glow on her dark chocolate hair and deep cobalt eyes. "I am Charlotte. How do you do?"
"The frecking princess?" Guts bemused.
Casca flicked his head. "You're being rude."
Charlotte waved her hands nervously. "It is alright. I don't mind."
"My name is Casca, acting leader of the Band of Hawk. These are my cohorts, Guts, Judeau, Harry, and Pippin."
Harry eyed the second hooded woman. "Who are you then?"
She stiffened as if she had not expected to have to introduce herself. Pulling back her hood she was revealed to be a nervous looking blonde haired woman. "Forgive me, I am Anna. Princess Charlotte's handmaiden. As such I could not let her go wandering around unsupervised."
"Speaking of which," Casca tried to get them back on topic. "We only have a limited amount of time. If we are to rescue Griffith, it must be now."
Charlotte nodded. "Very well. Please, follow me."
They followed after Charlotte and Anna, who had led them to another secret passage that took them outside of Windham castle. Now, they wandered the deserted streets of the upper district of the city.
Judeau looked around at the surrounding buildings. "I recognize this area. Not quite the homecoming I was expecting though." A look of guilt passed along Charlotte's face.
"I'm sorry," she apologized. "But as Princess of Midland, I feel I must apologize for my father's actions against you all and your companions. You all have done nothing wrong, and yet you are hunted like animals throughout the kingdom."
Harry looked at her face. It was hung low, and an embarrassed tinge of red stained her alabaster features. She seemed genuine. "You don't need to apologize for him," Harry told her. "But- it would help to know why he just turned on us the way he did." He tried not to look at her expectantly, but it was hard not to.
She hesitated. "It is as I said, I apologize. My father, he loved my mother very much. He loves me too…" Charlotte looked troubled. "That night, a year ago, Lord Griffith, he visited my chambers…"
And it all made sense.
"I hardly recognize my father anymore. His hair is completely white, his skin is all wrinkled; he looks older than my grandfather once looked. He sits on his throne all day ignoring Minister Foss' council; he's obsessed with ending the Band of Hawk." If that were true, the king had officially gone mad.
Two distinct torch lights rounded the street they were on. "Halt!" One of the torchbearers yelled. They halted. Three men approached them. Two carried the torches, but the third man, he was a face Harry recognized. Yes, he had seen him, talked with him at the ball. Dark brown hair with a well kept beard; it was Sir Laban.
Charlotte stepped into the light, and the reaction was instantaneous. All three men dropped to their knees, sprouting the words, "Princess! Forgive us; we did not know it was you!"
Charlotte put on an innocent smile and beckoned them to rise. "It is alright, you were only doing your duty of protecting our city."
"Princess Charlotte, why are you out here all at this hour?" Laban questioned, concerned for her safety.
"I needed some fresh air," she lied poorly, but none of them made a move to correct her. "I found that I could not sleep and decided to take a walk."
"Without protection?"
"No, I have my handmaiden, Anna," the aforementioned woman waved sheepishly to the knight. "And I have some select bodyguards' accompanying me as well." Sir Laban and his men eyed them. And for the briefest of moments, Harry saw a trace of recognition pass Laban's face.
He knows.
One of the guards seemed to notice as well. "Sir Laban! Aren't those-?"
"The princess' bodyguards." Laban finished for him. "They appear to be, yes."
"But, sir-,"
"Do you doubt the integrity of your princess?" Laban questioned his men.
"Of course not, sir!"
"Then I see no cause for concern." Laban bowed his head to Charlotte. "Please, forgive my men, Princess Charlotte. They are new to the night patrol and only wish to keep the city safe."
"Of course," Charlotte said. "Anna, why not give these brave soldiers a little compensation for their hard efforts."
Anna picked up on the meaning and pulled out her coin purse. Royalty never carried the money themselves. "I believe this will be a healthy sum," Anna handed the money to the patrolmen.
Sir Laban bowed once more. "Please, if you will excuse us. Have a nice walk, princess. And do stay safe."
Guts eyed them as they continued on their patrol. "I never thought you would have had that in you. I guess you're not just a do nothing princess." Anna looked offended at Guts' comment, but Charlotte smiled as she wobbled a little on her feet.
"Are you alright?" Casca asked.
"I'm-fine," Charlotte said unconvincingly. "Its just-Sir Laban has always been so nice. To lie to him like that it doesn't feel right."
"I think he knew," Harry told her. Charlotte looked at him, silently asking for him to explain. "When he looked at us, he recognized us from before. But he let us go still."
Charlotte put a finger to her lip in thought. "Then that means there are those who are more loyal to the realm than to my father. Perhaps that's for the best."
Guts kept his eyes wandering as Charlotte led them down a semi-hidden side street that continued straight to a small wooded confine within the city. The road was straight, and the lack of any stone buildings nearby put him on edge. They weren't being led to Windham's dungeon that was for sure. Wherever it was she was taking them must be a special sort of prison.
He was proven right when a tower came into view. It stood on a raised construct for added height and stood tall against the night sky, making Guts question how they had not seen it before now. "That's an old looking tower," he observed vocally.
"The Tower of Rebirth," Judeau clarified.
Harry looked curious. "You know about it?"
Judeau looked somber. "Of all the towers in Midland, it's the most ancient. Many say its been here since Midland was established… maybe even before then. I don't know why it was built, but in times of war it was used as holding for prisoners of war, and during the Holy See's grand inquisition it was used to hold heretics."
Charlotte and Anna looked impressed by his knowledge. "Indeed," said Charlotte. "The bottom is used to house the vilest of criminals. I heard my father say that Lord Griffith is being kept in the lowest cell."
Casca bowed in gratitude to the princess. "Thank you for your assistance, Princess. If there is anything any of us can to repay you for your help-,"
"Actually," Charlotte began to wring her hands in anticipation, "I was hoping to be taken too, along with Lord Griffith." The Hawks stared at her, completely dumbfounded while Anna looked ready to faint. "Would you be willing to do that?"
Is this girl for real? Guts mentally berated. Did she have any idea what life would be like outside of her pampered lifestyle? There would be no warm mattress for her to sleep on, she would be a liability in a fight, and men were more likely to rape her than bow to her should she wander out of the Hawks' protection. He was ready to speak these hard truths to the naïve girl, but her panicked looking handmaiden beat him to it.
"But, your highness! Have you even considered what that would do to the kingdom? If you were to go missing, there would be riots in the streets! Inquiries would be sent out throughout the realm!"
Charlotte did not look too concerned, not about any of that anyway.
"What about your father?" Harry asked now. "He already has it out for us as it is, if we took you too he won't stop until every Hawk is dead."
She shook her head. "I would be willing to be a hostage. Besides-I no longer consider that man to be my father." A look of sheer uncomfortableness spread evenly across her face. Just speaking of the king made her uneasy. "Please, I want to be with Lord Griffith."
Why are we even talking about this? Guts wondered, looking at the tower. Griffith is so close.
"PLEASE!" Charlotte suddenly yelled. "I'll do whatever you ask of me! Just please don't make me go back to my father!" Her shouting prompted Casca, Guts, Harry, Judeau, and even Anna to put a hand over her mouth. If there were any guards up top who could have heard that.
"She's got a set of lungs, that's for sure," Guts noted, not happy with her outburst. Casca was the first to take her hand away.
"Let her go," she ordered. "I know what it is she's feeling; that longing to be next to someone." Casca actually smiled. "We'll rescue Griffith together." Charlotte beamed, but Casca continued. "However, should Griffith dismiss you, you must obey his wish." She nodded, hesitantly but still nodded.
Guts approached Casca. "That was big on your end."
She didn't respond at first. "…Maybe. Only time will tell I suppose."
"Forget about time and think about Griffith, it's his say after all." The two of them joined the others by the stairs leading up to the tower with Harry and Judeau taking point.
They stopped just before the last step as Judeau gave the signal for them to hold. Guts could see two torches lit near the door to the tower. Judeau drew one of his knives and Harry his sword. "Please avert your eyes, Princess."
His knife made no noise as it flew through the air to cut one guard's throat. The second one looked at his fallen cohort allowing Harry time to flank him from the side. He sure came a long way from being hesitant to kill. If he learned to expand on that magic of his, he could become even greater. Maybe, once this was over he would seek out how to better understand it.
Harry fished the keys from one of the guards and unlocked the door to the tower. Inside was a staircase that lined the side of the tower going up and down. There was no railing, so if any of them were to fall it would be straight down into the shadowy unknown.
"It goes deeper than it does for the top," Guts said as they began to trek downwards.
"Yes, and Lord Griffith is in the lowest cell," Charlotte said. As they passed a door to one of the cells, a horribly disfigured man suddenly popped his head up by the small bars at the top of the door. He was missing a nose and all of his hair and it looked like he was blind as well.
The sight frightened Charlotte so bad that she almost fell off the stairs and into the pit below, but Harry reached out and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her back safely. She collapsed to her knees. "I-don't think my legs can support me right now."
You gotta be kidding me, Guts rolled his eyes. "Maybe you should have waited up top."
Despite her clear weakness, Charlotte refused. "No. If I am to go with you all, I need to learn to not run away. Life outside of Windham will be nothing like living in the castle. Maybe- it is best I learn that now."
For a girl as fragile as her, she did have some strength of will to her. "Suit yourself," Guts said handing his sword to Pippin to carry and offering Charlotte his back to climb on. "It won't be as nice as a carriage, I'm warning you."
"Thank you for the trouble," Charlotte meekly thanked.
He saw Casca looking at him funny, but she didn't say anything as they continued walking. "What?" He finally asked. "Do you want a ride too?"
"Nope."
Guts shook his head and eyed the seemingly bottomless hole suspiciously. "How far down does this hole go anyway?" Harry asked if he knew someone was going to ask sooner or later.
"I heard from the king that the prison goes down about as far as the tower is high," Anna finally spoke. "But the hole has been here for much longer. Its actual depth is deeper than any mountain in Midland."
"So what's at the bottom?" Guts asked this time. Charlotte looked down as well.
"Do any of you know the origin of this kingdom's name, Midland?" No one answered and Charlotte continued. "It goes back about a thousand years. In those days the continent saw a constant war between small city-states and tribes. It was a time of rival warlords. But finally one arrived to put an end to it." Everyone listened as they continued their descent.
"Supreme King Gaiseric. He was an emperor who was able to subjugate dozen of nations and established an empire that spanned the entire continent. No one knows where he came from or how he raised his army, but he was said to be a warrior of unparalleled prowess earning names like Demon King and King of Galloping Death. But whenever he would go into battle he would don a terrifying helm shaped like a skull."
At her words, something seemed to resonate within Guts and he looked at Harry who seemed to be thinking the same thing. The Skull Knight. But if what Charlotte said was true, Gaiseric lived over a thousand years ago. It couldn't be.
Judeau jumped in with the rest of the legend. "I believe he also gathered workers from all over to build a capital city. He lived in luxury by levying heavier and heavier taxes. Then one day, an angel of God came and leveled the city in a single night for the king's misdeeds."
"That is correct," Charlotte said. "The city or its remains lie at the bottom of this hole. It was built in the middle of nations, so it earned the name Midland. After Gaiseric's death, the empire split into many countries that are around today."
"Did he have any descendants?" Harry asked. "If the whole kingdom got leveled, who was around to tell the story?"
Charlotte contemplated. "I believe he did, yes. Or at least some who claim to be his descendants. Some of the claimers are buried outside of Windham; my family is even supposedly descended from Gaiseric."
He didn't know if she was telling the truth or not. The idea that a meek girl like Charlotte could be from a line of a warrior like Gaiseric seemed folly. But even so, there was still some manner of strength to her. She could not fight like Casca, but the fact she was willing to give herself up as a hostage to save someone else… speaking of which, they had arrived.
The lowest cell in the tower, the stairs ended here at this door, beyond was a drop off into the pit leading down into the remnants of Gaiseric's once city. It was quiet down here, eerily so. Guts heard no rats scurrying about and there was only a faint sound of water dripping from the other side of the door.
He could practically hear Casca's heart beating in her chest as she unlocked the door and pushed forward with a low creak. It was completely dark inside; the only visibility provided was from the light of their lanterns. And then there was the smell. It smelt of piss and shit and many other horrid things Guts didn't want to think of because somewhere in here was Griffith. They all walked into the cell, looking for any sign of movement from Griffith.
There was no movement, no noise, no nothing.
"Are you sure this is the right cell?" Guts set Charlotte down.
She nodded nervously. "Yes, I'm sure of it. The lowest, darkest cell in the Tower of Rebirth. It has to be."
"Guts," Harry said, spotting something lying on the floor. "Over here."
There on the floor was an extremely pale and unnaturally thin body. What distinguished it was an iron helm like a hawk that was locked shut in a mock fashion of the one worn previous. Guts rushed toward the body, gently cradling it, fearful that they might have been too late. Judeau and Harry looked over his shoulders, and their light casts a better glow at the body in Guts' arms.
He was so thin that his ribs were visible, and some skin on his torso had been peeled off to expose the muscle underneath. His fingernails and toenails had been pulled out, leaving the tips of his appendages to scab over horribly. His back looked to have almost been peeled away, showing off the raw redness underneath and part of the spine. Around the wrist and ankles, cuts were clearly visible; the tendons had been cut.
No way. No way this is Griffith. He wanted to take the helmet off his head, just to see with his own eyes that this person wasn't Griffith. "Casca, give me those keys." He held out his hand but felt nothing. "Casca!"
She stood away, her eyes widened in horror at the sight of the body. Pippin went over to her and took the keys from her and handed them to Guts. He undid the latch on the helmet and pulled the visor off.
There was no mistaking it. The white hair once long now cut short, this was Griffith. Guts couldn't look, he put the visor back in place, and Griffith's blue eyes opened up. They blinked a few times as he took in the sight of Guts' face, almost not sure if what he was seeing was real.
With what strength remained in his feeble limbs, Griffith reached a hand out towards Guts. On his end, Guts just pulled Griffith closer in an embrace, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Guts felt his eyes begin to leak. They dripped down onto Griffith's helm, and his now dull blue eyes closed sadly as well.
The moment of silence was interrupted when the door to the cell suddenly slammed shut alerting them all to the presence on the other side of the door. A very ugly face sneered at them from the other side of the front flap. He was a pudgy man who was missing all but a few of his teeth and a few strands of hair.
"I've ghost youhs," he laughed with a lisp. "I've locked yoush in herehs, sho therehs no chance of eshcape. And I've called the guardhs. They'll be here shoon. I can playhs with youhs like him."
Guts handed Griffith to Harry and Judeau with ease. He stood up. "Are you the one who did this to him?"
The jailor smiled. "Yesh. He wahs shuch a good toy. He never shcreamed, no matter how musch I tortured him. I cut his tendonsh sho he can't walk or hold a shword. The way hesh at now, he will never shire childrens-,"
Guts had heard enough. He grabbed his sword from Pippin and let himself fall into the rage that had been building inside of him. With his sword pointed in front of him, Guts stabbed straight through the door, wood exploded everywhere as his sword demolished it. The tip had gone through and impaled the jailer in his shoulder.
The jailor himself screamed as the only thing keeping him falling off into the pit was guts' sword. He was so small that he had to stand on a stool to look through the top flap, but now the jailor probably wished to be back on the ground with his stumpy legs.
"No, pleash!" The jailor pleaded with Guts whose face was scowling like some sort of rabid wolf.
"You sure scream a lot for a guy who tortures people," Guts flicked his wrist, and the jailor fell down the pit; his arm following soon after.
Harry and Judeau handed Griffith over to Pippin, and they drew their weapons at the sound of metal clanking along down the stairs towards them. The city guards had arrived. "How many of them are there?" Casca asked, trying to keep her mind off the state Griffith was in.
"Maybe two dozen," Judeau inferred. "Maybe more."
Guts started up the stairs. "Stay behind me. Harry, Judeau, Casca, you take out the ones I miss." And he dashed up the stairs, ignoring the calls from the others.
He came upon the first three men like a wolf pouncing on sheep; their armor did little to stop his sword as he cut them down in a straight row. Two more men now, his sword cut them down faster than the first three. Now it was six men. Ax's, spears, his sword weaved its way through their attacks and they were dead before falling into the pit.
"Fire! Shoot him!" The captain of the men must have yelled to the crossbowmen. Guts pulled his cloak in front of him to act as a shield, but still, one or two bolts hit his arm and thigh. It hurt, but barely. Compared to what Griffith went through, this was nothing. If anything it just served as fuel to the raging fire that was burning inside of him.
Heads went flying as Guts cut them before any of them had the chance to reload their weapons. The captain was running for the exit to the tower when he saw Guts continue on his rampage of killing any man that stood in his way. More men tried to stop him, and they all failed falling down the pit to join what was left of the city of Gaiseric.
Any stragglers were picked off, but there were few. As Guts continued carving a way back to the top, everyone who watched him thought he looked more like a demon than a man.
With an almighty swing of his sword, Guts cut the last four men that stood by the exit to the tower, his companions hot on his tail. If he thought the fighting was over-which he didn't, at least thirty armed bowmen of the city guard awaited them outside.
As strong as they were, they couldn't stop the arrows from flying. And once the captain gave the orders, it would be over. Guts readied his sword once more, but Harry whispered something in Charlotte's ear that sounded like "Play along."
Harry stepped behind Charlotte and put his sword level with her neck and walked to the front with her acting as a hostage. The captain saw this and a look of dread was evident. "Hold your fire!" He shouted. "That's the princess!"
Charlotte kept a terrified face on as Harry led her down the steps of the tower with the others following. They received fierce glares from the Windham guards, but they kept their weapons even as they parted through the line of soldiers who were too afraid of what the king might do to them if his daughter was hurt.
Crickets chirped near the reeds of the pond where Rickert filled up his bucket. Most of the wounded men were healing up quite nicely, they just kept asking for more water from the stream. Once they were healthy enough, they would ride out again and meet up with Corkus and the rest.
Gaston, Guts' second-in-command of the Raiders were leading with Corkus. Even though the man had suffered an injury last battle, he still insisted he was well enough to ride with the others. Rickert missed the company. He didn't mind being a caretaker to these men, but he still wished he could have been part of the team that went to rescue Griffith.
Pippin and Guts were the strongest, no doubt about that. Judeau and Harry were both pretty stealthy, and Casca was their acting leader. It made sense why they would be the ones to go. But just for the chance to see Griffith sooner rather than later had been bugging away at Rickert.
With Griffith back, things could finally go back to normal- what was that?
The crickets had stopped chirping, and even the water seemed deathly still. On the other side of the pond bank, there was a light green glow. And it was moving, zigzagging through the trees, heading for him.
Rickert ducked as a child-sized form zoomed over his head, and he was able to catch a glimpse of it. The body was that of a young girl, her arms, and legs covered with light green hair. Her small breasts were exposed, but the carefree expression she wore on her youthful, and bug-eyed face showed that she did not really care.
Bug like was the best way to describe her/it. The eyes were large and oval just like a bug, an antenna curled from the forehead, just like a bug. And a giant pair of moth wings from her back allowed her to fly. She wasn't a full bug, but she wasn't a human girl either.
"An elf?" Rickert wondered as she flew past him straight for the camp of soldiers. Bucket forgotten, Rickert chased off after it back to where his branch of the Hawks were residing. He was running nowhere close to how fast that Elf had been flying, but it was as fast as his legs would carry him.
What would the men think of an elf flying over their camp? Would they freak out and attempt to fight it? He hoped not. Elves were supposed to be friendly, that's what the stories always said anyway.
The campfires were visible now, and Rickert burst through the bush. "Guys! There's a-guys?" The fires still burned, but no one was around to tend to them. "Guys, where are you?!" Rickert called out.
"He-he!"
Sitting up in a tree was the elf girl. She sat with her legs crossed and an amused smile on her young face. A set of eyelids closed over her one bulbous eye giving Rickert the impression she just winked at him. She pointed behind Rickert and he turned around. He wished that he had not.
The firelight illuminated a massive creature standing behind him. Molten green in color and resembling a giant slug, it had a human face with an extra set of eyeballs coming out from the side of its head. Beneath the grinning human face, it had another jaw, this one was closed around the torso of one o the injured Hawks'.
The beast leered down at Rickert as it swallowed the Hawk whole. He was too scared to move, too scared to even scream. The elf girl in the tree snapped her fingers and two giant insect creatures crawled toward him, their intentions as pure as the wicked grin she had on her face.
And then they stopped. Standing next to Rickert on a horse was a knight in skeleton themed armor. Actually- the armor itself looked like a skeleton, and the helm with the glowing eyes only enforced that idea.
The Knight of Skeleton spoke to the two demons. "This is not your festival. Begone, your hour is not at hand. Or would you rather temper your powers against my sword?" He drew his blade and the creatures eyed it nervously.
The slug let out a deep throaty growl and retreated. The elf girl pouted and stuck her tongue out at the Skull Knight like a child would do to a bully. She snapped her fingers and the giant bugs retreated as well. She jumped from her perch and flew off into the night sky.
As for the Skull Knight, it was like he hadn't even been there, to begin with. Rickert clutched his head. Madness. He was alone now. Just madness.
A/N: That's it for this chapter. I didn't make mention of Griffith's tongue because I want that to be a bit more open ended. Thank you for reading.