Guts blinked the rain from his single eye as he stared up at a deep black sky. Wet dirt and grass lay beneath his back as he struggled to rise. His head fell back to the ground with a soft thud. White streaks of lightning cut through the blackness above, illuminating the outlines of massive thunderheaded clouds. Guts took a ragged breath and attempted to rise once more. This time he managed to lift his back off the ground, though his legs refused to move from their place. Rain matted down his hair and washed away the dried blood caking his flesh. He heaved a breath and drew another deep bout of air. His limbs felt leaden and heavy, his body was racked with throbbing and piercing pains. The cuts and bruises that he had sustained in that battle were more than he had ever thought possible.

Those pains were nothing however compared to the pain of his ribs. Several cracked or completely broken he was certain. Guts hissed as he drew his shins up to his chest, the clanking of his black plated berserker armor the only companion to falling rain and booming thunder. Another breath. He clenched his teeth as he leaned forward, placing both hands-real and fake- onto soft earth. He struggled to rise for what seemed an eternity, but eventually, he found himself on both of his feet, standing tall amidst the heavy rain. His single eye spotted a nearby hill in the distance. It was somewhat steep, but the tree that stood atop its soil drew his interest.

Something to rest his head against he supposed. The pines were high enough that he would be able to lean against it. There were other trees around in a wide expansive forest. He didn't want to find shelter beneath those branches, however. Guts wanted high ground at least. He glanced around, looking for his Dragonslayer. The darkness hid it well until a streak of lighting overhead illuminated the wet gleaming metal of the massive sword.

The blade was almost as wide as he was, and it was just as tall. Its triangular point was marred with a deep crack that spread its way down the swords broad middle. The crack did not make the Dragonslayer unusable, however, and Guts leaned down to grip the cloth wrapped hilt with his real hand. He heaved upwards, nearly toppling over with the effort. While Guts had grown used to the Dragonslayer's massive weight over the years, his fatigued state made it feel that much heavier to him.

Guts got the blade upright, the sharp cracked point sinking into the loose muddy soil. He leaned against it for a few moments, drawing more deep breaths before finally clipping the blade to his back. He was so tired... he needed rest. After he rested he could come to terms with what had just happened... After he rested.

He trudged up that hill, faltering only twice before reaching the tall pine tree at its top. Guts unclipped the Dragonslayer and placed it flat on the ground next to him as he sat. He put his back against the moist bark and sighed. An itch was scratched after he ground the back of his skull against the rough bark. Despite the wet cold he felt chilling him to his bones, he felt drowsy. His eyelid soon began to falter, and sleep overtook him.

An unknown amount of time passed in his dreamless sleep when he heard the sound of voices echoing below the hill on the side he had trudged up from. He grunted, and stood, gripping the hilt of the Dragonslayer. Strangers? He walked forward, intending to go back out into the still heavy downpour. Didn't these people know there was a war going on? Guts stopped his pace with that thought. A tear trailed down from his good eye. The war was over now, for good. He had ended it.

Guts continued forward looking down from the top of the hill. Three shapes were heading for the base of the mound, two holding up one dragging form. He eased slightly on seeing that they were humanoid. Other survivors were a good sign. He didn't drop his guard completely however. Guts never did around people he didn't know. More yelling, a woman, and a young boy from the tones he heard. Not soldiers. Who were they dragging? Suddenly a booming roar sounded from behind the trio, and a large looming shape breached the forest in a full-on sprint towards the three humans.

Guts' eye widened at the sight. They were supposed to be done for... He had ended it! His teeth ground as he latched the crossbow to his metal arm. One of the humans broke off from the other two, running back towards the monster and waving their hands about. The smaller form paused at this but was urged on by the woman shouting.

"Run Percy!"

The voice was pleading and under strain. Perhaps Percy was her son? The large monster charged after the woman and picked her up in a massive fist as the boy; Percy stood there and watched. Seemingly frozen with fear. Guts fired off bolts at the large shape, but the beast didn't give any reaction to the bolts. Guts heard no impact either, as if the bolts were passing right through the creature entirely. Perhaps the patter of rain and thunder masked the sound?

Lighting streaked again, illuminating the monster briefly. Bone white horns jutted from a large bull head, and sleek wet fur glistened in the light. Thick bovine legs ended in cloven hooves as the thing stomped angrily at the ground. Huge beefy arms flexed as the creature crushed the woman in its grasp. At least that's what would have happened had she not disappeared in a flash of light. Guts did a double-take at that but refocused on the monster. Time to think on magics later. The light dissipated, and everything was darkness once more.

The boy down below let out a roar of anguish and fury, and Guts heard the boy begin to taunt the beast towards him. He unclipped the dragonslayer from his back, and darted down the hill. No kid would be dying as he stood back and watched. Not again...

He could still see the outline of the monster as it charged towards what must have been Percy in the blackness. Lighting illuminated again, and Guts saw the dark-haired boy roll to the left of the creature. It continued forwards, as if unable to stop or turn its charge. Guts was running down the hill as the creature tried to bring itself to a halt. The bull-man however, did not get that opportunity. Running down the hill, Guts brought his blade down in an overhead swing on the beasts head, splitting it down the middle.

To Guts' surprise, the creature did not spray out any blood, merely turned to ash before his eyes. Another double take. Two white horns fell to the earth in front of him as the thing dissolved, and he coughed. He tasted iron on his tongue and Guts' vision became a dull fog. He looked to the boy, who stared with wide eyes at him. Guts coughed again and dropped his sword as what felt a cup of blood poured from between his teeth. His sword landed with a loud thud as he followed soon after, his thoughts fading to blackness. The last word he heard being a new bleating voice yelling:

"Food!"