A Dog Among Princes

Chapter 15

Everything was going to plan. Until suddenly it wasn’t. Most of the knights had been routed in the first attack. Their fear drove them into the waiting cannons and they were blown into a fine mist. Ah the beautiful efficiency of black powder. If only cannons could be miniaturized. Now that would be a beautiful way to kill. The leader had just laughed it off. He’d literally thrown his head back and laughed as his men were torn to pieces.

Guts called for the canons to be stopped. “Who the fuck are you?” Guts could see why they were called the dog knights, he was one ugly motherfucker. “I’m here for the White Hawk and unless I’m mistaken he sure as hell ain’t you.” Guts took his sword from its hilt. “Oh ho big man.” Guts didn’t speak, he just rushed him. This was a real fight. He didn’t talk in real fucking fights. The bastard bit his sword. God damn it! That was his fucking play. He levered the sword up trying to break his teeth. Nothing, his gums didn’t even bleed.

“What the hell does this guy eat?!” he shouted to Casca as she leapt over the canons.

“Fuck if I know, he’s worse than you!” This was a bad match up. That horrible tingle ran up Casca’s spine. It was going to get worse. The leader of the Black Dog Knights got taller.

“Shit!” Guts tore his sword from the man’s mouth. His horse ran off now that his feet could touch the ground. A second mouth and three new eyes opened on his chest.

“Zodd said the band had something worth fighting, I take it he meant you?” a hail of crossbow bolts launched from behind the cannons.

“I told you that wouldn’t work.” Corkus was shaking in his boots.

“Well what are we supposed to do just stand here like a bunch of idiots?” Judeau tossed his own aside.

Griffith watched all this unfold from the clifftop. He made to get on his horse. Cadogan grabbed his arm. “You understand by going down there you might be putting them all at risk right?”

“If I don’t go down there and they die, you won’t be able to stop me from killing everyone here. Then when I’m done I’ll find your corpse, take Guts’s sword and shove it so far down your throat it comes out your ass.” That predatory stare was back. Cadogan let go of his wrist.

“So,” Guts looked at Casca. “The secret Coborlwitz technique?”

“The secret Coborlwitz technique.” Both of them ran in the opposite direction.

“Hey get back here!” the beast roared. The tight gorge was a terrible place to fight. They were too easily cornered and couldn’t maneuver around the huge monster in there. But if they could draw him out into the lake, they might just have a chance. The artillerymen scattered as the beast crashed through, destroying the cannons. Guts and Casca screeched to a halt kicking up plumes of water behind them. “What’s the damn hold up? Come on!”

“Three eyes,” Casca said.

“Three big ass eyes.” Guts agreed. Casca went left, Guts went right. The creature blocked Guts’s stab with his arm, but Casca’s strike landed true, stabbing right into its central eye. It yelped in pain. Alright that gave them something to target: eyes, nose, genitals. Nothing else was visible, it sure had some big ass eyes. Guts hit his next mark as the monster staggered in pain.

“Shit!” He was blinded on the right side and swiped wildly with his hand. Casca went in on his left eye, putting it out.

“You’ve gotten better.”

“I have you to thank.”

“My eyes are up here shit heads.” The monster pointed to the tiny human head perched on top of its monstrous shoulders. “But that still really fucking hurt.” He swept his hand out, knocking both of them aside. Ribs broken. Guts could work with ribs broken. Casca’s arm hung limp. That was a little less workable. Guts could see a horse riding towards them. He recognized that cape anywhere.

“Griffith get the hell out of here!” The monster turned his head.

“That’s the White Hawk? Fuck, no wonder the king wants him back. He’s one pretty mother fucker.” He licked his lips. Guts quickly slashed it off. “God damn it! You cut my fucking dick off!” Casca looked over at him. Guts had left the building. She hadn’t seen him like this in more than a year. Correction, she hadn’t seen him like this in months. It was closest to how he was during the hundred man fight, but it was also uncannily similar to how he was when he put on the berserker armor. Schierke said it liked him. This was probably why. His breath hissed out through his clenched teeth and the beginning of a growl was forming in the back of his throat.

“Guts, don’t do anything stupid.” He leapt onto the monster’s back. “Guts!” He wrenched the monster’s mouth open from behind and jammed his sword down its neck. It pierced through into his neck and Guts pulled his sword back deeping the wound. He locked the beast in a headlock and he gurgled, choking on his own blood. The creature fell backwards and Guts loosened his hold. Griffith dismounted.

“I guess I didn’t need to come after all.” The monster grabbed him.

“Gotcha!” Guts tried to drive his sword in further. “Not so fast.” The beast slurred through its lower mouth. “You try anything and I crush this little bastard like a ripe grape.” He turned to Griffith. “Call ‘em. Come on time’s running out! Call ‘em!”

“I don’t know who you’re referring to.” A dark curve ate itself out of the sun.

“Come on don’t play fucking stupid with me,” He tore off Griffith’s armor. The behelit hung from his neck. “There it is. My ticket outta here.” He drew a nail across Griffith’s collar bone. Blood began to pour onto the amulet.

“Guts, Casca, I’m sorry.” The moon passed over the sun. It really was beautiful.

The ground changed. Massive faces flowed over what was once clear water.

Cadogan watched as the sky turned red and demons emerged from the ground and sky. Hopefully Gaiseric would get here on time.

“You interfered.” The one with an exposed brain and sewn shut eyes, Void, if Griffith heard him right.

“Forgive me, my lord, but I was dying. I had no choice.”
“You overestimate your importance. It doesn’t matter to us whether you die or not as long as the kindred’s decision is untainted.”

“You bastards! You’d let me die? Just to make sure this fucking pansy doesn’t have his opnion influenced?” He shook Griffith. He was feeling a little nauseous now. Hopefully he’d stop doing that.

“Yes.” A beam shot from the demon striking the one holding Griffith in the head. He fell over dead and the spectating monsters fell upon the corpse, ripping it to pieces. “I apologize for the roughness of our apostle, my kindred. I assure you, this is not how we normally operate.” The green haired one, Slan, tittered behind her wing at Void’s words. “Now, let’s discuss terms, although from what I understand you’re already fairly familiar.” A hand burst from the ground carrying him skyward.

Griffith stood in front of the hand. “I understand what you would offer to me. However, I must politely and firmly refuse.”

“Come now,” Slan drawled, “You only say that because of the position you’re in. We’ve known you since the moment of your birth. You were meant to make this decision and if you hadn’t had this run of good luck you would’ve in an instant.”

“I don’t see how you could know that.”

“No?” She smiled. “What if for example, you lost the use of your arms and legs?” He dropped to the ground. “Or if your tongue was cut out?” He tried to cry out in protest but was unable to. “If you lost even your beauty?” He blacked out. A series of events passed before his eyes, he was tortured for nearly a year, his love for Guts twisted on itself and became hatred, Guts battled the monster alone while he pawed at his sword with a useless hand, he stole a wagon, he tried to end it but was too weak, The god hand came, he saw Guts’s desperate eyes as he climbed to reach him and he accepted, and then he watched himself do something unforgivable all trapped behind the eyes of the Griffith who would do all this.

“See dear, this is how things were supposed to happen.” He was released from the illusion. The worst part was it all made sense. The other Griffith acted consistently with how Griffith understood he would act given the circumstances. It disgusted him.

“If you join us, you will feel no more guilt. This self hatred you feel will be gone. You will be perfect.” Void said.

“Griffith!” Guts pulled himself onto the palm of the hand. Griffith looked back at him. He saw the same desperate hope in Guts’s eyes that he’d seen in the illusion. He wouldn’t disappoint him this time.

“I’m afraid I cannot do that. I must once again refuse.”

“You understand there will have to be consequences for this. All those below came to celebrate the ascension of a god. They will not be denied merriment.”

“I will suffer them, as long as those who would’ve been sacrificed remain unharmed.”

“Then I will honor your request, kindred.” The hand melted back into the ground. “It’s a shame to waste such talent.” Void sighed and raised his hand. “Partake as you will.” The demons descended upon Griffith.