9The Interstice
The clouds, if can call them that, seems to be made of blood crimson smoke, has faces with expressions of pain and agony on them. A giant hand the Demon King called 'The Alter' suddenly emerges from beneath Griffith and Guts at incredible speeds. Taking them closer to the Eclipse.
"What the fuck!" Shouts Guts while holding into Griffith
"Wha wha fa!" Griffith says incoherently, Guts would have laughed if the situation wasn't so fucked up
"Guts! Griffith!" Screamed Caska frantically, worried for Griffith and Guts 'Please get out of there Griffith….Guts' thought Caska.
Side of The Alter
The Giant Alter is full materialized, it appears to be hundreds, if not a thousand feet high with a Demon King, or God Hand on four of the five large fingers. It's grotesque, seems to be made of the faces of dead men and women.
Guts starts to lose his grip and fall before Griffith weakly grabs holds of his hand. But it doesn't last as Griffith's arm starts to rip from the weight so Guts lets go. As Guts falls he quickly pulls out his knife and stabs the Alter to slow his descent.
As Guts makes the climb to the top, all of the Apostles start to shout.
The floor of the Interstice
"CEREMONY OF THE COMING LORD!"
"CEREMONY OF THE COMING LORD!"
"IT'S THE CEREMONY OF THE COMING LORD!"
Ceremony of the coming lord? thought Caska, getting more nervous.
Guts looks up to get a good look at the top of the Alter, getting increasingly concerned for his friend before thinks back to what Zodd said the last time he saw him
"Our fight today.. we'll stop it for now but I'm not sure I'll be seeing you again" said Nosferatu Zodd cryptically.
"So I'll give you a warning…no..a prophecy. If you call yourself a true friend of that man be prepared….for when this man's dream come crashing down, you'll face your death. You can't escape!"
Guts shake his head at the memory. He won't let his friend give up because of s stupid mistake, yes he is a shell of his former self but he can still achieve his dream
"Griffith don't give up yet! This will not be the day your dreams come crashing down! Charlotte loves you! Even if you can't walk, talk, or fight again, it doesn't change that fact you can still be King! That old fucker isn't going to live forever so be patient, screw the easy way out because that's what got you here in the first place!" Shouts Guts, trying to break his friend out of his melancholy and doubt 'and I share blame' said to himself.
Peak of the Alter
"Yes..listen your friend. He is right about your dreams still being in your hands but not in the way he makes it out to you want to be a weak King with none of your former beauty or power? No, causality will not allow that." Says the Void. "Are you afraid? One such as yourself? Of extraordinary beings such as us? Or perhaps the future you will follow?"
Griffith is half paying attention to what the demon with a brain for a face is saying. What Guts said, or yelled rather bluntly, makes sense to him.
Guts is right….I did this to myself. I became complacent in my accomplishments and the pace at which I've achieved them…. Forgetting how it was all thanks to one man. I was never impatient and impulsive before I met that man….and now I'm drowning in my failure thought Griffith, still unaware of what the God Hand were saying until he is snapped out of his musing.
".….fore we enter the future, let's return once to the foundation of your past then you shall know what it is you are.…" Says the creepy floating Demon King named Ubik
The world around Griffith changes and familiar sights form around him. He is a small boy again, chasing after his friends. Griffith is suddenly stunned by the fact he can walk and speak again before he remembers this is fake
"Is this.." Griffith is about to ask because it was expected of him before he is rudely interrupted.
"This is not an illusion. This is the reality of your conscious real, materialized within this dimensional plane" answers Ubik but Griffith thinks inwardly 'another way of saying it's an illusion
"Where is everyone? I don't remember the city ever being this empty" asks Griffith continuing to play the oblivious role as he continues to walk through the nostalgic landscape before he hears a familiar sound resonates with in the imaginary streets 'These demons are trying to hard' thought Griffith, already disappointed in their tactics
GONG!
GONG!
GONG!
He nonchalantly walks towards the sound before he stops at a old lady sewing with her spindle.
Clearly one of the Apostles if there aren't any other people around. If this was supposed to be a memory, it's a horrible imitation Thought Griffith beginning to know how this being's power works.
"Hello ma'am? Which way is the castle?" Griffith asks in a bored tone.
The lady simply points to the right direction
"Thanks!" Says Griffith with fake gratefulness
The world darkens around him until
"It's pitch black. This….this a weird place" says Griffith
So…since his memory earlier tactics failed he is resorting to torture through pure darkness. I've been in the dark for a year, I no longer fear it the broken but very much alive White Hawk. His body emitting a white light that illuminates everything around him
Griffith sees corpses around him and says nothing. He realizes he is supposed to react negatively to this so he gives a convincing scream "Uwahhhh!" He then asks, feigning great fear "What the fuck is this place? Uwah-!" Griffith purposely falls, to make it seem like he trips and lands face first 'I might have gone to far with this. It may be an illusion but it still smell likes death' thought Griffith trying not to gag. He hears steady footsteps so he turns around to see the old lady walking to him.
"What a noisy child! What are you fussing over?" Asks the Old Lady who was sewing earlier.
Griffith continues with his mummers farce "O..old lady. I-it's terrible! They're dead…!"
"I knew that from the start" said the old lady nonchalantly
Griffith had to resist the urge to yawn. The fake death smell helped there but this apostle's games is more torture than I've endured this year. He feels like experimenting so he outwardly thinks Is death by boredom possible? The old lady gets a tick on her forehead
Oh 'she' must have heard my thoughts that time
The fake old lady cocks her head to the side, clearly annoyed before getting back into character, before 'she' replies in a tone that can only mean admonishment
"This is the only way to that castle boy." She stops as Griffith's eyes widen
"What do you mean?" Asks Griffith. Curious now. Now wanting to hear the creature's argument. Not worried about the answer as he can see the Hawk banners so can come to the logical conclusion himself. He wasn't considered the most brilliant man in hundreds of years nothing after all.
The old lady answers as expected;"The only road to that castle.." she pauses, pointing at the White Castle on the hill then continues "Is to continue piling corpses until you reach it. The bodies around you are your fallen soldiers. Fallen Band of the Hawk. And they must continue dying for your cause in order to achieve your dream, it's fate."
"This is…?" Asks Griffith pretending to fear the answer
"I suppose those who wish to reach the castle must trample over people who have fallen here. Otherwise all that will happen is your end will be like theirs. But causality already determined the end of this conversation, you will continue piling corpses until you reach the top. You believe it was their choice to die for your cause but that's a lie, a farce and you know it. Everything is preordained." says the Old Lady who is clearly not an old lady.
Griffith decides to bring the game to a close with one last play. These fools actually brought me to a world fueled by my own thoughts and mental energies thought Griffith
"You're right….I have no choice, I must accept my destiny" says Griffith with his snow white hair covering his eyes as the 'old lady' grins as if she won some game.
"But…as you said 'ma'am' I needed the pile of corpses to reach the castle" lifts his head, eyes filled with power the disguised God Hand thought he lost a year ago.
"But" said Griffith has he meets the eyes of the God Hand.
"How long were you under the impression that I haven't already been to the castle and on my way to be it's ruler? Already taking that final step towards my dream, kindred."
With a wave of Griffith's hand the Old Lady's disguise is removed. The God Hand's eyes widen before the materialized reality breaks around them.
The Interstice: Top of the Alter
The old lady was actually Ubik (surprise). Griffith weakly turns to see Guts finally reach the top, panting.
"Ho-How did you do that?! Your sense of self should have been weakened. You should been consumed by the illusion. How is your mind so powerful! It was like being in the presence of the 'Master' in that plane" Exclaimed Ubik, surprised the broken mortal touched by destiny can overpower him in the mental plane. The other God Hand are also surprised. Not expecting this development at all.
Griffith smiles and speaks mentally. He knows everyone but Guts can hear his thoughts when he wants them to.
"What? Did were you not watching me in that dungeon? It was just me and my mind, there was a lot of tinkering there before the pain became non-existent. I was lost in my mind for weeks before it was finally organized. I soon realized my Godlike power inside my mind. Let's just say I have the most formidable mind in the world." Brags Griffith but with good reason. No one before him has mastered their mind to this extent.
The awed but somewhat wary looks the God Hand give him make him mentally chuckle. He notices they are waiting for him to keep going so he continues.
"Do you still think I would just give in and sacrifice my friends, against their will, after my display of mental fortitude? For what the dream that's already in my hands? There is one thing you misunderstood about the Band of the Hawk, demon, is they never did anything against their will. They chose their fate themselves, taking control of their destinies and dying for their own dreams." thought Griffith with his signature charisma in his mental voice is like cannon fire that silences the God Hand
Griffith weakly tried to stand knowing Guts would help him up. He looks to his friend then smiles, motions for Guts to remove his helmet.
"Are you sure Griffith? It's ok if-" Guts begins to say before Griffith shakes his head in interruption. Guts nods then removes the White Hawk helmet. Displaying Griffith's comely but tarnished face. His eyes seemly flashing blue as if they are filled with power.
"I only entertained that farce of an illusion to keep you talking. You were repeatedly using "fate" and "destiny" to imply inevitability; that there wasn't any real choice. But this Desired God or Idea of Evil, is made up of our collective desires and dreams. So if I don't want to become one of you, that is your will as it's the extension of that your God's will. It also helped that I sapped away some of the information from your ancient mind. You were a fool to enter my mind." said Griffith, his mental voice rising. Ubik has tears of blood before Griffith stops.
Slan's cheeks flush at the mortals audacity and power but she knows he isn't wrong. Ubik is scared, he never failed their master before and felt pain like that. Conrad is just floating there looking ugly. The Void just says "Hmmm"
"I understand what to do now...I have a choice, as you four did but I will refuse…I don't sacrifice." Griffith thinks with finality the words reverberate throughout the Interstice even though they were never verbal.
The God Hand gasp at this turn of events…. that a mortal chose to refuse omnipotence and the return of his body…his beauty…
Why they all thought.
"Why? That's your question after everything you've seen and heard? Ok, since I won't be seeing you again; it's only fair I answer." Griffith nods to Guts who holds Griffith up to his full height, which isn't much because of the physical damage done by the torture.
Guts is confused, he thought he would have to kill some shit to get Griffith out of here but it's been silence for a few minutes but it seems Griffith had control over the situation. Guts looks over the edge and sees the rest of the Hawks prepared to fight (and die) but the Apostles haven't moved yet.
What's going to happen now? Guts asks inwardly It doesn't matter, either way I'm getting Griffith out of here when the chance arises, even if I have to cut these monsters down first
Griffith finally answers "The answer is a simple one my kindred. The reason I don't care or need any of those things is because I've already put my foot through the door that is my dream. I played the final card from my deck and won. Yes my body was destroyed because of it but even while I'll never be beautiful or physically strong again, I have Charlotte and my mind. She loves me despite what I am. The King is old and won't be alive much longer, once he dies the Princess will pardon the Hawks then I will wed her and be the new King. She will have to be my voice but will be enough for my future plans and with my mind behind that voice, we will rule." Griffith gives them one last look before the world around them turns white.
The In-between: Space Between Dimensions
The Apostles, Alter and Eclipse disappear, leaving the God Hand and Band of the Hawk, much to Griffith's shock.
"Very well. You refused the gift and made your decision. We are satisfied with your answer and see the logic behind it. We leave you to your devices but our Master wants to speak with you first " The Void says before he and the other God Hand start to fade from existence back to wherever they came from.
Griffith turns to face the Hawks with Guts help before he is enveloped in a hug that almost crushed his ribs."Griffith! I was so worried about you" exclaimed Caska with tears in her eyes
Caska, I'm sorry he says with his eyes. Sick with himself for giving her no choice but to take up the leadership role because of his rash decision and forcing himself on her….. Griffith winced at his weakness. A mental lapse that'll never happen again, she belongs with Guts.
Caska sees the look on his broken face but before she can say anything a tall figure starts walking to towards them. She or he is wearing a formal white suit, has wavy short black hair with single bang in the front. Pale skin as white as Griffith's hair but golden eyes. He seems amused by the situation instead of pissed off like Griffith assumed. Griffith did undermine God after all.
"Hello everyone my name is Desire, one of the Endless as people from New Earth call us. But here on your world…. I'm the Idea of Evil or Desired God as my God Hand have called me." Said the Godlike being, which smirks at their nervousness. "There's no need to be nervous, I'm not going to kill you. You've resisted my direct influence, which doesn't happen very often. Your mind is quite formidable, like adamantine metal. That ironclad will is impressive but there is a weakness isn't there or was one before your mind fortifications but you have no idea how close you were to dooming your friends and your world with your near folly. The God Hand answer to me but I do not control them, that's their purpose, to be fear and exist as causality could commands but little do they know there is no causality kukukuku"
The Band of the Hawk members share glances. Judeau asks the question that's on everyone's mind "What do you mean? Yes we were surrounded by demons but how is that Griffith's doing? How did he almost doom us?"
Desire puts his hands behind his back then starts laughing like Judeau told the funniest joke he (or she) has ever heard.
"HAHAHA! This is too much; pure comedy. I would answer that question but I'll leave that for your leader to explain after we are finished here boy. Thanks for the good laugh though." Said Desire as he Wipes the nonexistent tear from his eye before winking at the Judeau. This brought a shiver down his spine. He steps back into the group as Guts speaks up
"What it is you want? You're clearly the leader of those monsters who wanted us dead, so why not just get to the instead of these word games. This place gives me a bad feeling" Guts said, not intimidated by the all powerful being in the slightest but the eerie chill the forming vortex gives him worries him
Caska grabs his arm, gives him the "not now" look which makes the 100-Man Slayer sigh then nod which amuses Desire but still watches the vortex. These people in that world would be quite like interesting to watch. Their individual skills with shine even brighter there. Yes that's what I'll do, it's time for the Game to have new players Desire thinks to himself before he says
"Agreed, we don't have much time the Abyss will consume you all if we don't hurry. I'll get straight to the point. You, Griffith have earned another chance to achieve your dream but on a far greater scale. Why you ask? Because of your complete disregard of your deep rooted desires with mental prowess that reminds me of my brother Dream and resisting my brother Destiny's hold on your life, along with the lives of your friends, has swayed me into granting you three boons. The first of which is I'll restore your body back to original state before your consequential torture, don't worry you'll keep your improved mental fortitude but you will have to relearn how to walk, write and fight but you'll be as good as new. The second boon is I'll send you and your friends to a different world… a world similar to your own but it's better suited for your grand dream and the collective dreams of your comrades, as well as your talents. There is a game of politics in this world and it's made for those of strength and wit to win. Most in your party including the would be black swordsman, will most certainly rise high there. " said Desire looking at Guts and everyone present glued to what he is saying, and liking it, before he continues speaking. "Thirdly, you can bring anyone who isn't here, with you to this world except for the dead. Any friends, allies, lovers, etcetera. Choose quickly."
Griffith and the rest of the Band of the Hawk accept. Griffith is enveloped in a blue glow that morphs into an egg like shape. Moments later Griffith emerges. Fully clad in his White Hawk armor. Beauty and grace back in his features, along with the sense of strength and charisma he exudes. His men tear up at the sight, they had almost given up, they begin to cheer while Caska hugs him tight and Guts pats his back. It's a happy moment for the Band of the Hawk. They feel back to their old selves.
"Yes yes I get it, you're happy your Hawk has it's wings back but YOU are running out of time. The abyss will consume you in a few minutes so choose your loved ones then concentrate on them, they will appear shortly after" Said Desire getting impatient
The members of the Band mentally think of the people they want to bring with them. Suddenly groups of people start to appear. Guts notices Godot and his adoptive daughter Erica. Griffith sees Rickard who jumps up and down happily at the sight of his hero, then a brown blur suddenly hugs him. It's Charlotte and she weeping happily at the apparent miracle. Her friend and handmaiden Anna also with tears in her eyes. He turns to see Minister Foss and his daughter which surprises Guts who asks his friend; "what are they doing here?"
Griffith smiles at his friend before answering "Because I'll have need of the Minister's gifts in this new world and it would be cruel to bring him without his daughter." Guts nods at his logic. If the man betrays them, I'll take care of him Guts thinks to himself. Wary of the politician.
Caska smiles at her Leader. She faces to Guts before gripping his hand he looks down at Caska then their lips met. Griffith smiles at the sight, They deserve each other GriffithGriffit to himself while holding Charlotte close to him. He kisses her forehead before facing Desire.
"We're ready" said Griffith with his right in his sword's hilt and left hoping Charlotte close who nods and smiles at him
The God grins then snaps his fingers. Everything goes white as they hear "Desire for the last time say "Let the Games begin."
Hey guys hope you enjoyed the prologue to my new story. As you can guy it's a Berserk/ASOIAF crossover. Don't worry, I have no abandoned King of the Torrentine for this one. I understand how crack it can feel at some parts but that's my intention. I know a few characters will be ooc but I don't really care. This is fanfiction. Yes, Griffith I'll be Gary sue as fuck but his mental prowess is limited to his own mind. He cannot enter the minds of others or read minds at all. I'm also working on Magi/ASOIAF crossover that takes place after the end of the manga and a Batman/ASOIAF crossover with House Wayne descending from Brandon Snow so stay tuned.
Next Chapter: The Band of the Hawk and their loved ones enter a new world. Griffith goes through some personal reflection before coming to a decision that will change the Band of the Hawk.