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The Forest of Spirits

"Oh, I've never seen a boy fairy before-"

"How cute-"

"Can I see your-"

"I'm being surrounded on all sides! Do something!" Puck nervously shouted as he found himself cornered in the middle of the forest by a growing crowd of female fairies, all of them interested by the new arrival. "I'm an Elf, dammit..." he muttered under his breath as their numbers increased.

"You'll be fine." his armored ally casually quipped, dodging a sweeping vine from the monster he was fighting.

With a quick swing, he severed the vine, leaving the limb to thrash on the ground as it spurted green blood.

Despite the injury, the beast continued forward.

It was a horrific abomination. In it's center, the dead corpse of a blond woman served as a core for the monster. It did not show any sign of a reaction to the battle around it, increasing the unnerving feeling coming from it. Her body was covered by vines that sprung off into larger vines that acted as attack tentacles for the creature. Some of these vines had large flowers at their ends, weapons meant for sucking the life force of whoever fell into their grips. It was monster meant for spreading terror and agony, a hulking mass of plant and human life.

To the inhabitants of the forest, it was a living nightmare.

To Guts, it was a light snack.

The Black Swordsman stared down the approaching monster as it walked on top of it's own severed limbs and flowers. Even though all of its tentacles had been amputated by the Dragonslayer, it still walked forward, never changing it's expression as blood spewed from it's now useless arms. It was weaponless, bleeding, and weakened, yet it still refused to stop fighting.

Guts nodded. He could respect that dedication.

He swung the Dragonslayer downwards.

The Chimera Dryad fell, it's two halves falling on either side of the berserker. With the death of the humans host's brain, the plant half of the chimera rapidly wasted away.

A calm feeling settled across the Forest of Spirits.

A few seconds later, the fairies of the forest began to erupt in applause, glad to finally be free of the terrible threat. They eagerly danced in the sky, finally giving Puck the chance to flee. He eagerly flew into Guts satchel, and he did not come out.

Guts flicked the blood off his blade as he took stock of his situation. Ever since he and his travelling party had ended up here two months ago, things had gone surprisingly well. They had something of a guess on how they had gotten here, but they were not to sure. They clearly remembered what they were doing beforehand, however.

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THEN

Guts remembered the pure joy he felt when Casca was restored to her normal self. When he finally got around to asking her what she wanted to do, she was quite clear. "I want to kill him Guts. I want to kill Griffith." While a part of him just wanted to settle down on Elfhelm, another part of him agreed with her completely. Of course, as usual, he didn't get much choice in the matter.

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"STRUGGLER" The Skull Knight intoned, having rode in through the front doors of the dining hall. Guts stared at him with a serious expression. When the Skull Knight showed up, it usually meant that things were about to get grave. "What do you have for me this time old man?" Guts calmness contrasted with the rest of the men and women in the hall, who immediately went either on their guard (In the case of Azan, Roderick, and Serpico.) or freaking out (Puck and Magnifico.) Ignoring them, the dead emperor continued speaking. "THE TIME FOR ACTION HAS COME. THE TIME FOR ME TO FIGHT ALONGSIDE YOU HAS BEGUN. IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO FINALLY KNOW THE HAWKS TRUE PLAN." And just like that, the Skull Knight ended his neutral vigil and revealed Griffith's true plan to the assembled guests. When he was finished, it became clear to everyone there that idly standing by was not an option at all.

Thinking back on it, it was obvious. Ruling over all of Midland was not enough for the White Hawk. He could only be satisfied when everything was his, and his alone. Guts cracked his neck as he walked inside of the little house he and Casca had made into their home. Pulling open a closet, he beheld the Dragonslayer and the Berserker Armor.

The Beast inside of him howled.

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Time passed quickly. His days were spent training nonstop with his comrades. His nights were spent with Casca as they spent their time strategizing...for the first half hour. The rest of their time was spent passionately making up for the years they had lost.

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More time passed.

He remembered more events as life passed by.

He remembers joining the alliance against Griffith. The remaining human armies, Chuder, Yith, and the Bakiraka.

He remembers seeing various astral beings joining the fight. Gnomes, centaurs, water spirits, fire spirits, and other innumerable inhumans.

He remembers reuniting with Rickert, who had grown up to become the leader of a Kushan Asssassin clan.

He remembers the united armies finally laying siege on Falconia. From then on, everything was just a blur of blood and guts.

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HELL

He has finally done it. Clad in the Berserker Armor, Tte blood of countless apostles stains his blade. Apostles that would have given him serious trouble even during his Black Swordsman days were easily slain. Now, he has finally found his object of his hatred.

Griffith stands before him in this valley of skulls, the valley were the Black Hawk first rose.

The Hawk of Darkness is standing in his black demonic form, as tall and muscled as any apostle.

Griffith's face rapidly switches between anger and hate. The earlier attack, and the fact that he might lose is slowly destroying his sanity. By contrast, Guts is calm, even though the helm of the Berserker armor is over his face.

This time, he believes that he can win.

The Dragonslayer ran forward, ready to end Griffith's retched life.

He rushes forward at Griffith, his sword posed to end the unearthly ones existence. Suddenly, his entire body was stopped inches in front of Griffith, the Hawk's arm outstretched. Just like that day he fought the Count. Griffith makes a motion to send Guts flying through the air-

But Guts stays firmly in place, fighting against the power. Griffith's calm face begins to slowly undo.

This time, the Struggler is not fighting for revenge. He is fighting for Casca, and Farnese, and Serpico, and Isidro, and Puck, and Schierke, along with countless others. This time, the 100 Man Slayer has many more things to lose.

He then remembers when, just before the battle, how Schierke had whispered into his ear, telling him about the signs of life she felt coming from Casca's belly.

As though he was never restrained to begin with, Guts brought his hulking sword down upon Griffith's out stretched arm. In less than a second, the limb has been cut into five different pieces. Before the pieces hit the ground, he has thrust his sword into Griffith. At this point, the Hawk of Darkness finally starts screaming.

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The Berserker charged forwards, Griffith still impaled on his sword. His relentless charge sends them smashing through mountains of behelits, into stray war demons wandering around the red dimension. Finally, he reaches the Giant hand of God. Reaching the top of it, he impales Griffith into the middle finger, all the way up to the hilt. Leaving him there, he turns to see what is happening around him.

His companions await. Casca stands over Ubik, pulling her earth-enhanced sword out of his eye socket. Isidro and Serpico stand panting as they overlook the burning remains of Conrad. Farnese straddles Slan, the gorgon restrained by magical vines as Schierke swings her burning staff onto Slan's face, with Farnese impaling the demon again and again with her silver daggers. All three Godhands bear the glowing wounds born from the Sword of Actuation. Their victories would not have been possible without the Knight's help. And the King himself-

stood at the "Ceiling" of the interstice, the spine of Void clutched between his teeth. With a loud crunching noise, he bites through the spinal cord, and Void's head falls through to the floor. He then raises the sword, energy bursting from it. At the finger, Dark flames rise from Griffith as he begins to slowly push the Dragonslayer out of him.

"Where do you think your going?"

Running up to Griffith, Guts pushes the sword back into him, forcing him back into the finger. Griffith's screams increase in intensity as Guts holds him in place.

Meanwhile, the Skull Knight begins to raise his sword into the air. His intention is now clear. He going to destroy this place, and all that lives inside of it. It is the only way to be sure.

With what is left of his strength, Griffith releases a burst of dark power throughout the Nexus, throwing everyone except Guts off their feet. Isidro groans as he looks over the edge, and then his eyes widen. "Guys?" Isidro wordlessly pointed down below.

A swarm of monsters runs and climbs up the hand. Guts recognizes several of them.

The Snake Baron. The Great Goat. Vlad Tepes.

Griffith has broken the fundamental rules of the universe, opening up the vortex of souls in an act powered by fear and hate.

Guts grins. He accepts this challenge.

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The fellowship continues to battle. Serpico sends an army of trolls blasting off of the hand. Isidro impales the Great Goat with his Flame Dagger, cooking it's insides as it tries to shake him off. Casca swiftly dodged under the Barons tail before climbing his head like a mongoose, impaling him though the brain with her sword. Vlad reaches forwards with his telekinesis, but compared to Griffiths, it is nothing. Guts splits his skull into four pieces before sending him over the side. His fat corpse falls down, knocking more monsters off like a bunch of dominos before he finally hits the ground. Farnese expertly throws a silver dagger into the throat of a Kelpie, the enchanted silver cutting through it's watery barrier. Schierke swings her staff, burning an entire wave of blobs to cinders and ash.

Meanwhile, The Skull Knight's dimension destroying attack is near release. His skeletal horse runs around, ready to spirit the group to safety. Having thinned the numbers enough, Guts get's ready to leave, only to see Griffith standing at the edge. He spreads his leathery wings, ready to take flight-

Only to be impaled by the Dragonslayer, sending out a spray of blood and organs through his front as he coughs and sputters. Thrusting Griffith over his head with a roar of rage, Guts impales the hawk into the palm of the giant hand. This time, he is not going to pull is sword out. He is going to stay here until the Skull Knight strikes.

HE WILL NOT LET GRIFFITH LIVE TO HURT HIS FAMILY AGAIN.

He yells at them to get onto the horse, to escape and live, but they refuse.

They will stay with him until the end.

The Skull Knight looks at the group, his expression unreadable. "IT'S TIME, STRUGGLER." He brings his sword down. The energy ripples throughout the interstice, blowing everything up. The creatures swarming around shattered like glass.

Guts kept Griffith impaled in the ground, the dark hawk thrashing and screaming as his plans come to ruin. Amazingly, he starts pushing the Dragonslayer out of him as black flame pulses from his form.

And then Casca impaled her sword into his mouth, forcing him down. The rest of the group follows suit. If they die, they will do so making sure that no one else will have to live in a world where Griffith exists. The Sylph Sword buries itself into his left arm. A silver dagger stabs through his right palm. The Salamander Dagger stabs into Griffiths right leg. An earth Golem forces down Griffiths left leg, it's arms cracking under the pressure.

And Puck stomped on the White Hawks crotch again and again.

Finally, the Skull Knight's attack catches up to them, surrounding them with engulfing energy. Just for good measure, the first King of Midland swings one more time onto the top of the hand.

Then, everything went white.

When they came to, they were on a grassy plain. Guts looked to the ground.

All that was left of Griffith was melted armor, grey dust, and burned feathers.

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They were all expecting to die, not to be sent to this place. When they first arrived in the grassy plains of Natalia, they thought that they had simply been transported to somewhere in Midland by the dimension warping attack. A few looks around the town of Port Natalia quickly proved them wrong. The appearances of the local "Monsters" also helped with proving their presumptions wrong. Guts and his group quickly realized that they had been sent into another dimension entirely. With no other way of contacting their homeland, they decided that they would simply survive in this new land.

NOW-San Ilia

Earlier that day, everyone had started with their tasks. Farnese and Casca were training together outside of town. Isidro was checking the local bar for bombs (Truth: Flirting with the women.), Schierke was out of town helping that boy-Luka, he recalled,- investigate the haunted manor, while Guts, Puck, and Serpico had come to the Forest of Spritis to hunt down a bounty on a monster. Standing over the remains of the chimera, Guts frowned.

The monster in the bounty description was far different than what he had just killed. The bounty described it as being covered in "White fur", having an "ape like stature", and being as tall "as a house". The creature that he had killed did match any of the above descriptions. In fact, when Guts thought about it, said description kinda reminded him of that one apostle, Wya- His eyes widened as he remembered what happened during the earlier battle.

Griffith had broken the fundamental rules of the universe, opening up the vortex of souls in an act powered by fear and hate.

If we got sent here by the Skull Knight's attack, than all of those escaped apostles also-

And then he heard the sounds of battle coming from inside the forest.

"Well, at least I've found Serpico."

With that, Guts rushed to the young man's aid.

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Serpico grunted as he dodged another fist from his beastly opponent. The massive fist created a crater on the ground as Serpico leapt into a tree-

and then the fist slammed into it, sending it toppling over as Serpico hastily made a retreat to the ground. He turned and sent a slash at the things head with his Slyph Sword.

The beast grinned before it nonchalantly dodged the slice, only for a small gash to appear on it's cheek. It greedily lapped at the gash on it's cheek.

"How funny." Wyald grinned as he advanced forward, his body covered in similar slashes, but otherwise unharmed. Serpico jumped into the air as he released a massive flurry of wind enhanced slashes. Wyald grinned before slapping his hands together, dispelling Serpcio's barrage with a massive burst of wind that sent Serpico flipping backwards. The young man grunted. From within the depth's of his consciousness, a voice spoke. "Be careful Serpie!" Sylph called, clearly worried about her new partner's survival. "I'm trying the best I can." Serpico dodged a massive punch from Wyald, who's attacks came with a shocking speed from a beast his size. Despite his hastily made contract with the Wind Spirit, Serpico felt sweat drip down his forehead as Wyald attacks kept coming without stopping, forcing Serpico to be defensive and constantly jump with his fast attacks. "That speed...Does he control the wind too?"

"My wild, unrestrained nature gives me great power over the wind! Enjoyment and Excitement!"

That answered that.

Suddenly, Wyald leapt into the air. "Wyald Jump!" Serpico grunted before he prepared to leap out of the way. "Wyald Stomp!" Wyald's massive bulk came crashing down onto the forest floor, scattering leaves and sending Serpico rolling from the sheer force of it. Serpico forced himself up, realizing he had dropped his sword. He immediately reached forward-

Only to be caught in Wyald's massive hand. Serpico opened his eyes as he tried to force the apes fingers open.

Wyald laughed as he squeezed Serpico, the knight coughing up blood as his bones began to creak.

SNIKT

Suddenly the pressure stopped, and Serpico dropped to the ground, righting himself as he picked up his sword.

Wyald stared, blinking at his hand.

Which had fallen off of his arm onto the forest floor. Wyald looked down, uncomprehending at the figure in black armor below him, head covered by a wolf like helmet and armed with a massive sword. One of the black gauntlets on his attackers left forearm split open, revealing-

Pulling the cord on his metal arm, Guts sent Wyald flying back in a blast of canon fire.

"WHAAT!?" Wyald shrieked as he was sent off his feet, his bulk smashing threw trees as blood gushed out of his giant lower mouth and arm, teeth uselessly falling out of the mouth. Wyald shook his head and tried to get up-

Only for a black blur to fire past, sliceing off half of his right leg. Wyald began to screaming in pain before the figure turned and let loose another swing.

CLANG

Wyald was sent smashing down onto his back as the blade stabbed through his chest, spilling out even more blood.

With Wyald down for now, Guts ran to Serpico. "You alright?" he asked. Serpico just smirked and cracked his neck, uncaring for the blood on his chin. "Meh, I've had worse." Growling with rage, Wyald forced himself up. Sneering through a bloody mouth and reaching out with the power of the wind, he practically threw the devastated trees at Guts and Serpico as though they were missiles. Without missing a beat, Guts turned and brought the Dragonslayer down like a hammer. With each swing, the trunks were split into firewood. Wyald looked on, astonished at the power of his opponent. "How the hell-" A cord of recognition struck within the ape apostle.

"HAWK RAIDER!" Wyald roared with rage as he got onto his one good foot, his hatred holding him together as he practically threw himself at the two swordsmen. Across the battlefield, Guts and Serpico stood together, swords raised. As the power of Sylph began to build around Serpico, flame suddenly began to snake it's across the surface of the Dragonslayer.

Wyald and Serpico were not the only ones with the power of the elements.

Serpico fully opened his eyes.

Wyald howled like the feral beast he was.

Guts grinned maliciously under his black helmet.

The slaughter commenced.

-END

A/N:

To clear things up, this does not take place during the main story. The Main story is in it's own separate universe. This omake takes place in what could be considered an "Alternative World" to the main story, sort of like what Paradox is to MGQ. Now, I may or may not revisit this alternate sidestory. In all honesty, it mostly exists as a "Halloween Special", but I may find some way to include it again as I continue writing.

After this chapter, I'm going to write another chapter of the main story. Than, I will wrap up the Ubik/Conrad sidestory before going back to the main story once again.

As for the sidestory itself, more will be explained about it's relation to the main story.

Have a happy Halloween, and remember to put your grasses on!