A peaceful surrounding
Guts stood outside the group's cottage in Elfhelm, taking in the peaceful surroundings. He hoped for a moment of solitude, allowing his mind to wander and reflect on the past. His gaze was fixed on where the Moonlight Boy used to be, but now it was only occupied by Griffith. The presence of his former comrade now marred the once-serene location. Guts couldn't shake off the feeling of unease as he stood there, the memories of their troubled history weighing heavily on his mind. The crisp, cool air carried a sense of foreboding, making Guts' skin crawl with anticipation. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was amiss, that the peaceful façade was merely a mask for something far more sinister.
"Griffith," Guts shouted, his voice dripping with desperation. He rushed towards Griffith with his sword held high, determined to bring an end to the man's life. As he swung his blade, it sliced through Griffith's body like it was nothing more than air. Guts whirled around, panting and sweating as he tried to stand and attack again. He collapsed to his knees, his limbs trembling with exhaustion and determination. The metal ringing against the ground echoed through the air as Guts made one final, futile swing at Griffith's phantom form.
As Guts engaged in battle, he suddenly became aware of a shadowy figure looming over him. He looked up just in time to see a fist hurtling toward him, but he was too slow to react. The punch connected with deadly force, and Guts felt his life slip away as his anger and impulsivity killed him. His body crumpled to the ground, a lifeless shell consumed by the darkness that had consumed him.
As Guts opened his eyes, he was met with a shocking sight. He was immersed in a lake of blood, surrounded by red faces that seemed to leer at him. He was naked and had lost all of his belongings. This would have been a nightmare for anyone else, but not for Guts. He recognized this place immediately as Qliphoth and, more specifically, the Eclipse.
Guts looked up at the Hand in the sky; a hand made up of writhing faces. He saw four figures on the fingers: Void, the Enforcer and Leader, on the pointer finger; Slant, the Whore of Desire and Lust, on the ring finger; Conrad, Disease and Pestilence, on the pinky; and Ubik, the Talker, on the thumb. The sight was unsettling, and Guts knew he had to find a way out of this strange and terrifying place.
"You've finally arrived!" Void's voice boomed through the air, causing Guts to tense up as he looked around.
He saw hundreds of apostles surrounding him, their hungry eyes fixed upon him, ready for a feast. But Guts didn't flinch. He stood his ground and turned back to the Hand, taking in the eerie sight of the five grotesque figures. Suddenly, he noticed that one figure was missing from the hand - the middle finger. Its absence only served to make the scene even more unsettling. Guts clenched his fists, determined to fight out of this situation no matter the cost.
"Is Griffith not joining us?" Guts asked, his voice laced with curiosity.
"Do not speak his name," Void boomed, his deep voice echoing through the room. Guts rolled his eyes, used to Void's dramatic flare.
"Look at you standing there," Void continued, his eyes scanning over Guts and the other apostles. "You're about to witness an event that has been in the planning for eons."
Guts spat back. "How does it feel to instill fear in the unfearing? Does it make you feel powerful? But you're not. You will soon learn just how insignificant you are. You will learn that you are, in fact, nothing. As chaos envelops you, you will be powerless to stop it. As death happens before your eyes. And as your victories crumble around you, you will feel every ounce of anguish, every torment, every pain for eternity. This is your fate, brought upon you for trying to play god. And it will drive you insane."
Void raised one of his twisted, dark hands from beneath his cloak, holding a black ball. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it at Guts' feet, and a gaping hole opened up, swallowing him as he fell into the abyss. Guts tumbled through the darkness, feeling weightless and disoriented until he finally landed with a thud on a soft, white surface. He realized he was lying in a pile of snow, the icy crystals crunching beneath him as he stood up.
Glimpsing a faint light in the distance, Guts stumbled towards it, his mind racing with thoughts of survival. He knew he needed to find shelter and warmth, or he would surely succumb to the frigid temperatures of the wilderness. As he raced towards the light, Guts steeled himself for whatever lay ahead.
Guts' eyes were fixed on the faint glimmer of light in the distance as he sprinted through the darkness. His breathing was labored, and his legs ached, but he pushed on, desperate to escape the shadows that seemed to close in around him. He was so focused on reaching the light that he didn't even notice the creature creeping up behind him, its eyes glowing like hot coals in the darkness.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Guts saw the "civilization" he had been searching for - a small, dilapidated shack with a single candle burning in the window. Its warm glow beckoned him, offering a sense of safety and comfort. Guts couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over him as he approached the door.
As he trudged through the snow, his feet felt like lead weights, aching with each step. His entire body shook uncontrollably from the icy cold that seemed to seep into his very bones. Just as he was about to take another step toward the shelter, something suddenly knocked him off balance, sending him crashing to the ground. As he struggled to get up, he heard the menacing growl of an animal behind him, and he immediately assumed it was a wolf. He tried to push himself up, but his frozen fingers couldn't grasp the icy ground. He was vulnerable and alone, with no way to defend himself against the beast stalking him.
Guts quickly rolled onto his back to look at the creature, and what he saw shocked him. The beast had the body of a wolf, but its muzzle was triangular and covered in bone plates that resembled rudimentary armor. Guts knew right away that it was the Beast of Darkness, a creature that he had no chance of surviving against.
He frantically searched for a weapon, his heart racing with fear. The only thing he could find was a weak, rotten stick.
"I smell your fear... embrace it... let out your darkness," the beast snarled, its eyes glowing with malice.
Guts and the beast faced off, neither one moving a muscle. "If you won't embrace it... then I will drag it out of you!" the beast roared as it lunged at Guts, its razor-sharp teeth bared.
Guts desperately threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding the beast as it crashed into a snowbank. He scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding as he grabbed the stick. With a fierce cry, he spun around, expecting the beast to be right on top of him. And it was.
Guts saw the stick connecting with the beast's thick neck, making it stumble but not fall.
He frantically looked for an escape route but saw it was too far away. He gritted his teeth, knowing he only had one or two good swings left with the stick. The beast snarled and lunged at him again, its sharp teeth bared and its eyes gleaming with malice.
The beast roared and reared back on its hind legs, ready to pounce on Guts. Guts reacted quickly, whipping the stick over his head and aiming for the beast. But the shaft splintered and broke in half as it made contact with the beast's rugged hide.
"Fuck!" Guts cursed as the beast barreled into him, tackling him to the ground. The beast snarled and readied itself to strike again, but a gunshot rang out and pierced the beast's shoulder, causing it to stumble and pause.
Despite the injury, the beast was far from defeated. It locked its eyes on Guts and charged again, its fangs baring.
"Goddammit!" Guts heard someone shout as a giant sword appeared out of nowhere, planted firmly between him and the beast.
Guts' eyes widened as he saw the sword was made up of multiple triangles pieced together, with gears running along the handle. Without hesitation, Guts lunged for the weapon, even before he heard the voice say, "wait."
Guts grabbed the sword and swung it with all his might, slicing through the beast's neck and severing its head. As the beast's physical form crumpled to the ground, it hissed its final words to Guts.
"This isn't over..."
Guts felt a weight lift off his shoulders as the beast died, filling him with a sense of happiness he hadn't felt in years. Suddenly, he heard the crunch of snow behind him and spun around, pointing the blade at the stranger.