As the wheel made of fire finished its course, the bay was now clean of Kushan soldiers, those abominations, results of heathen magic mixed with the cruelty and madness of the Kushan Emperor. Instead, all that remained were the dead bodies and some spot of still burning fire there and there. The attention of a certain little group of survivors wasn't focused on that deadly wheel or the massacre resulting after, no, they were concerned about the well-being of the one who caused that mayhem.

Looking down to the little girl full of surprise and magical power, Guts tried his best to awake her without hurting her, a hard task for the Apostle killer. "Hey, Schierke !" She didn't react at first, still dazed by the use of such a spell.

A faint scowl appeared on her face, followed by her eyes opening. Taking a few moment to become aware of her surroundings, all she could see was a black mass in front of her. She could guess only one person she knew had such a shape. Taking a slow breath and opening her mouth, she asked "Guts... how are the others ?". She was truly afraid of his answer, she knew that sealing a contract with a spirit could be very dangerous for her allies and even herself, like with the spirit of the river a few days ago. Her master taught her at the beginning of her formation that in a case of a battle, friendly casualties wasn't unexpected and even quite ordinary.

"Everyone is a few shades darker brown but hey..." Finally in possession of her senses, she could see the ones around here. It wasn't only Guts, but also Casca, Farnese and Serpico. Even that annoying monkey was also worried about her. "Good job."
At these words, Schierke couldn't help but smile a little, she was truly relieved to learn that she didn't hurt any of her friends during the attack. She even let escaped a chuckle when Casca poked the side of her head with her finger.

"It's still not safe, we should move right now..." said Roderick, getting impatient "My boat is not so far away, if we hurry up we should be able to sail within the hour."

Guts nodded, helping Shierke trying to get up. Seeing her struggles he knew that she wasn't in condition for walking, he had seen it enough time on the battlefield to realize there was only two options left, helping or leaving her. 'Not anymore' Guts said to himself, 'I won't leave a brother in arms behind... not like last time.' he finished as he remembered the results of him leaving the Band of the Hawk after his duel against Griffith. He pondered how to move fast with a dead weight such as her, seeing no other option, he started to bend his knees to finally lay them on the ground, being face to face with the little wizard "Hop on."

"... What ?" Shierke replied with a faint blush on her face, she was not used to have someone close to a paternal figure like Guts was, even if she didn't want to confess that.

"You can't walk, climb on my back, we need to go fast." he said with a straight face and almost a commanding tone.

"Oh my..." Isalera said next to the ear of Shierke, to make her the only one being able to listen "You, the damsel in distress getting carried by your charming prince... How lucky you are young girl..." she finished with a smirk and a knowing gaze.

The little which couldn't help but blush the more she was listening. She finally regained the control of her facial pigmentation just before responding "Alright, I'll climb..."

After a few seconds, she was on Guts' back, holding for dear life with her hands grasping what she could around his neck without touching any skin, fearing to blush once again. It wasn't an easy task with her little fairy friend hovering next to her and holding a banner with a heart where was marked 'S+G' within the centre.

"Let's move. Now." Guts finally ordered. Getting out of the shady alley where they were hiding, the walk after was relatively peaceful if we could use that word in this context, it seemed that the Kushans were busy slaughtering their enemies in other parts of the town leaving the group almost alone. Even though, there was still the occasional enemy there and there, but they were quickly disposed of by Serpico or Isidro.

Still walking towards their destination, Shierke couldn't help but getting sad the more she saw the destruction around her. She was used to live in a peaceful forest protected by enchanted barriers, where all were connected by magic to the earth. Here, there was no connection, no peace. All she could see was death and sorrow, a grim remainder of the nature of the human kind.

After a few more minutes and turning around the last corner, Roderick laid his eyes upon his vessel, a proud warship of more than two dozen pieces of artillery and almost sixty crewmen. He smiled and proudly proclaimed "There ! My boat is right here, everyone get inside, I'll inform the cre-" He was suddenly interrupted by a laughter. A foreign laughter which seemed to belong to someone old, strangely this laughter seemed to also announce some hard times for the group. Looking around they saw the source of the noises. Getting out of the fog surrounding the bay was another warship, different in look compared to the design of the ones from Midland. Realisation dawned on the member of the party, it was a Kushan warship. Looking at the top of said ship, there was a man. It was indeed an elderly but this one was strangely flying above the deck of the boat.

'I have seen better...' thought Guts, it was true, after spending years fighting on the battlefields and then against the Apostle, barely anything could surprise him now. Especially not a half-naked old man with a turban and a strange haircut, even if his eyes were entirely black as ink. Eyeing him better, he understood something was amiss 'But I must say, it's the first time I'm seeing one flying... Could it be...' Reaching for his neck, he quickly tapped his brand to check if there was any blood. 'Not bleeding, it's not one of them. But even though, something is wrong, I sense like a link between the power of an Apostle and him... Could he be working for one of them ?'

"Well, well, well, it seems that the youth in this barbaric country can at least provide some sort of entertainment. Such a shame that you had to stand in our way..." said the old man with a small smile and in a raspy voice, a clear indicator of his age and experience.

Starting to lose patience and eager to get to safety, the boy of the group was starting to get angry "Hey old man we don't have time for you ! Get out of our way or we will beat your wrinkly ass 'till the border of your Empire !" Isidro screamed to the top of his lungs, he wasn't confident in front of trolls or Kushan soldiers, but what could that old man possibly do ?

Keeping a straight face but losing all signs of cheerfulness, the old man looked down in direction of the one who dared to insult him "I may be old, but I, Daiba the Paramilitia Senaanii, Leader of the Kushan Pishacha Division, still can teach you youngsters, some sort of manners before I kill you all." he said with a cold voice, so cold that the confident smirk on Isidro's face started to fall down and soon was replaced with fear and regret for angering this unknown foe.

Raising his arms and using his magic to control the water from the ocean, the sorcerer quickly summoned a tornado "Let's see how long you can entertain this elder." He finished with a smirk as his attack was heading towards the group.

< ====== | | ===== >

After several minutes of dodging the new tornados sent by the old man, the group was starting to get really tired and even if the attention of these attacks were aimed in priority to Serpico and Guts. But the most worrying part was when Guts had lost control of his actions because of his armour, his inner beast taking control and acted as a berserker, his body was being mutilated slowly by the power of the suit. Thankfully, Shierke's soul had awoken the conscious part of Gut's mind but unfortunately, she had to momentarily make her soul leave her body in the care of the others to help him.

'Guts...' Said Shierke in his mind 'We need to find a solution quickly to defeat that sorcerer, I don't know how much longer your body will support the armour's actions' She finished with worry in her voice.

"I know, but as you can see the situation became a little bit complicated when he summoned that big monster made of water." He answered. It was true, the beast that the summoner was using was really tall, its full height being taller than the biggest mat of the Kushan warship. The fact that the monster's body was made of water was quite bothersome, no matter how much Guts swung his gigantic sword, he couldn't do any damage to this foe.

While thinking of a way to slay his enemy, the sorcerer had a thoughtful look on his face, just like he would have if was analysing a scroll or an experiment subject.

"Yes, bearer of the Plana of Durga, you are without a doubt a formidable foe, you managed to cut through some of my tornadoes and then survived the attacks pf my Kundalini for more than ten minutes... But while you were fighting, I sensed something in you, something not human or from Durga" said Daiba with a frown and looking thoughtful, gazing beyond the ruins of the city in front of him. But his frown slowly transformed into a smirk followed by a full smile showing his remaining teeth and a devious chuckle "You ! You are a marked one !"

At these words, Guts stopped what he was doing and gripped his sword tighter, he didn't like where it was going especially if his enemy had access to crucial data like this. " Ah, how blessed I am to live long enough to witness a survivor of the ceremony... Lucky for young lad, you have in front of you the Kushan with the biggest knowledge about the Ceremony or the Behelits, I studied them long enough for my Emperor that I now know how to understand the process of the branding..." he finished his sentence by looking directly at Guts "Even how to control it..."

Hearing that, Guts couldn't help but look in direction of Casca and then something happened, something that he thought was long dead and impossible for him. He was feeling fear. He couldn't care less about what happened to him, but he couldn't stand to think of the woman he loved to be in danger.

'Guts... please don't think that way' said Shierke, in her position, she had a full access to what he was thinking, and the thought of seeing him sacrificing himself was, for her young mind, impossible to bear.

If what he fought earlier was a demonstration of the old man abilities, he couldn't imagine what he could do to the branded ones if he really had knowledge of that cursed power. Returning his attention to the sorcerer, he asked with some hesitation "What do you mean... control them ?"

Stroking his shin, Daiba took his time to think of a simple answer "Well..." he started, he really needed to simplify his explanations for those he considered no more than barbarians to understand him "This world is not unique you know... We are living in a particular realm, the God Hands in another, and so goes the same thing for different places." he said.
"The thing is, by manipulating the power of the Apostles and the Behelit, I discovered the abilities the God Hands possessed to travel between those realms. Unfortunately, one thing was missing for a human or even a simple Apostle to travel between those planes. That missing element is simply... a connection with one of the God Hand." he finally finished with the most devious smile he ever had the chance to cast.

Guts immediately understood what he was implying, if it was true, then the sorcerer could easily defeat them by casting away Casca and him.

Using incantations made of words from a language long dead, Daiba entire body started glowing with the power he was using. Seeing that, Guts went for a sprint towards Casca, he had to protect her no matter what. Several second after, the sorcerer ceased but Guts didn't dare to stop his mad run, fearing to be too late if something really were to happen. For a moment, nothing happened, but soon after, Guts stopped in his tracks when he felt a hand holding his right foot. Looking quickly beneath him, it wasn't just one but a group of them, sprouting from a growing hole in the ground, said new hands were now grabbing his other leg. Trying to take them off was a lost cause, they were already around his waist, torso and shoulders. As he started to slowly sink into the hole, he casted a glance to his group, all of them had looks of horror plastered upon their faces as they tried to retain Casca as she was in the same predicament as Guts.

'Guts ! I can't do anything !' screamed Shierke in his mind, in this situation Guts couldn't see her but he clearly knew her eyes were watering when she was speaking 'The power behind those hands are too strong for me ! I can't help you !'

Sensing the clear despair of her friend and understanding the terrible situation he was in, he tried to comfort her and give her a last order "Shierke, if something happen-"

'Don't say that ! Don't you dare to say that... Please, stay with me...' Guts could now clearly heard her crying, a heart-breaking thought, even for the ex-mercenary.

Sighing, Guts started talking once again "Shierke, if something happen and we are separated, I want you to take the others the Fairy's Island. Can you do that for me ? I promise you everything will be fine." Hearing no answer but only her sobbing, he asked once more "Shierke, this is important, can I ask you that ?"

'Snif...Yes, yes I will but... promise me wherever you are going, please be safe and if you can... if you can, then get back to me !' she screamed as she feel her consciousness returning to her body.

Smiling, Guts finally said "I will little witch, I will..." before being entirely swallowed by the hole, casting a last look to Casca, who was in the same position as him, only the head above the ground. And then, everything faded into blackness and silence.

< ====== | | ===== >

When Guts awoke, he was in pain. The fight, the use of the berserker armour and the stress of the travel were very straining for his body. Trying to get up, he casted glances around him, to only find trees everywhere. Seeing that there was not immediate danger, he allowed himself to breath a sight of relief.

But he then opened his eye as the realisation struck him like an arrow in the heart 'Casca !' Glancing everywhere, Guts couldn't find her or even any traces of the woman he loved. "Shit... Shierke, can you locate Casca ?" Expecting a quick answer from the little which, he was rapidly getting impatient when none came. "Shierke ! Hurry up, we need to find her !" Once again, there was no answer. At that moment, he understood that something was wrong. The feeling he had when Shierke came into his soul to help him through the madness of the armour was gone. 'Did the travel only allowed me to come ? Is it because she was not branded ?' A grim vision flashed in front of his eyes 'Did her soul get back safely to her body and in time ?'

Looking once again around him, he saw the same trees as earlier, but thanks to his eyes adapting to the surrounding darkness, he could see details much clearer than before. It was night time, the moon was full and high in a sky almost devoid of clouds but full of stars, bright as candles. Lowering his gaze, his eye fell onto to the tree line and saw these woods were not much different than in the previous realm. He seemed to be in a clearing of some sort, luckily for him, who knows what could have happened if he was to appear in a middle of a tree. Looking down and touching the earth, guts could feel the grass and the mud beneath his fingers, but also the presence of rock, like in an man-made path. He understood slowly that if he was in a different plane, it wasn't much different compared to the previous, a good information for him, he shouldn't have any difficulties adapting.

Getting back to his thought, he realised that all of his companions were now in a place where he couldn't help them. But he wasn't afraid for the remaining members of his group, they were strong even without him and the sorcerer seemed to fight them only for Guts and what he called the Plana of Durga. Plus, the ship wasn't far away, he was sure that they could have gotten to safety quickly with the leading of Shierke.

Taking a few minutes to regain all of his senses and digesting these new information, Guts started to think of where Casca could have possibly gone during the travel 'We were only meres metres apart, I don't know anything about that fancy magic, but she should be in the same realm as me, right ?' With that thought in mind and in a calmer state, Guts finally arose to his full height, getting is sword from the ground and wielding it at eye level to check the state of his weapon. Approving the work of Goto, he strapped it to his back and checked his equipment. His left arm was covered in blood but was still functioning, his throwing knives were all on his chest, the berserker armour was practically intact, nothing less expected from this cursed object. His body, however was in a more pitiful state, and in a place apparently devoid of any medical assistance, he might need some rest, nothing different from his previous life as an Apostle's slayer. Ready to go, he finally started walking down the path that was in front of him.

He didn't know where he was. He didn't know where Casca was. He didn't know what could possibly populate these lands. But, he had a task, it was to rescue Casca. And in fact, he did know one and only one thing, if anyone or anything dared to get in his way, he would cut them in half. Apostles, monsters, humans, anything. He would kill them. All of them.

< ====== | | ===== >

Meanwhile, on a mountain's side was standing proudly a white castle. And in this castle was a disconcerted Princess of the Night. She was getting ready to open the Night Court when she felt a strange power emanating from her bedchamber and then fading into nothingness. Carefully walking out the Throne Room and followed by some of her Night Guards, she headed towards the room. After a few minutes of walking, she arrived in front of her bedroom and sotpped in front of the gigantic gates adorned with a moon. Igniting her horn, the dark blue aura engulfed the knob and slowly opened the door. Entering and casting glances all around, she saw nothing out of ordinary. The dark blue walls were the same as before, the doors of the balcony were still wide open for the moonlight to illuminate the chamber and the desk office was as organized as ever. Being careful, Luna trotted further inside to check a last time if what she felt earlier was real or just her imagination.

"Your Highness, is something wrong ?" asked Corporal Night Spear, one of the guard standing in the doorway.

Taking a few seconds before turning to her guard, the Princess replied "Well, it seems that we made a mistake, 'tis but a false alarm. Get back to thy post, until further or-"

"Buh..." She was interrupted by a strange voice which was coming beneath the Royall bed. A voice which belonged to somepony she didn't know, a strange thing for she, The Keeper of the Dreamscape, knew all of her ponies by their dreams.

Taking position right after hearing this word, the ten Guards were now standing in front of the Princess, spears pointed towards the source of the one who interrupted Luna. "Show thyself !" proclaimed Luna in a commanding tone, but not enough loud to be considered her Canterlot Royal Voice "Surrender peacefully or be prepared to face the wrath of the Princess of the Moon !"

After a few second in a heavy atmosphere, a patch of hair slowly make itself known from under the bed, followed by two hands crawling in direction of the ponies. Luna knew different species with hands, such as the Minautors, but those belonged to something she had never seen before. In front of the unknown, she couldn't help but tensed a little, fearing what monster could possibly coming towards her. But these feelings quickly faded when the face of the intruder was visible for all. A few second later, the whole body was in the open, and the creature put itself slowly on its feet "What... what manner of creature are thou ?" the Princess asked, she didn't know what was in front of her, it was an hairless ape-like creature, except for the mane on the top of its head. It seemed to be bipedal with strange extremities at the end of its hind legs. 'By Tartarus, what is that ?' Luna wondered 'It seems dressed with a kind of bedsheet, maybe a lost traveller or an exotic pet from a foreign land ?'

Her thought were interrupted when the creature slowly make its way in direction of the guards, it seemed its eyes were locked on the Princess with a strange emotion in them, almost like... amazement ?. "Stay back !" shouted one of the Guard gripping his weapon tighter in his hoof. The creature remained where it was, tilting its head to the side "Bo ?" It seemed to stop walking not because of the order but because of simple curiosity.

Feeling that the intruder was more lost than dangerous, Luna decided to resolve quickly the matter at hoof "Guards. Stand back." With these simple words, the soldiers obeyed without any question and left the path open for the biped and her. Walking towards it and stopping just a metre in front of her unexpected guest, Luna declared as regal as possible "Greetings, stranger. It seems that thou are unaware of where thou stand, I must ask th-" she was once again interrupted when the creature quickly puts its hand into Luna's mane. The guards tensed, no one had the right to touch a Princess without her permission, they were ready to jump and tackle the perpetrator of this crime when the same one started to laugh. What caught off the soldiers and even Luna is that the laughter was not devious or evil like expected, instead it was like hearing a foal giggle when he was discovering the wonders of a candy factory.

'Well, it seems that this little one has no ill intentions against me or the crown...' Luna thought with a bemused expression at the antics of the biped.

"Your Highness, what are your orders ?" asked one of the Guard, clearly lost in the recent events.

Thinking quickly, Luna answered "Go fetch mine sister, it seems that-" she stopped when she felt a weird sensation, looking at the intruder she saw it simply chewing peacefully on the ethereal mane full of stars. A small smile formed on the face of the Princess "It seems that we have an... interesting guest".

Author's Note

Well here it is, my first story just for you guys.

I had to make this one because I found the lack of stories about Berserk really disturbing.
For those who don't know the manga, go read it, it will become easier for you to understand the "special" relationship between Guts and Casca.
For those who know the manga, as you can see the fight against Daiba was different because ~~it was a pain in the ass to describe the full fight~~ I thought it was more interesting for me to deform it to fit the needs of my story.

So I would like some feedback for my story, I don't know if the pace was too fast or not, if the dialogues were good or not...
You can also post what you would like to see next in the story ! Well...if that's okay with you...