>>5749904>>5749977>>5750037Your arms manage to reach Guts and pull the rest of the chains still binding him, leaving you free to move out of his head and outside his body as you manage to push the helm of the berserker armor out of him as you heal what could be a potential attempt at beheading given his wounds. Thanks to the power to believe, you have managed to save Guts from the loss of his own sanity, while also healing him and preventing him from dying. And though the damage against fighting hm has left you exhausted and with wounds on your soul double, it is nothing that you shouldn't be able to heal in a couple of days' time.
"Impressive. Not even Flora had managed to rescue me from the brink of death in this state..." Gaiseric, remembering how he died is positively impressed to see Guts avoid his fate for now.
"GUTS!" Rickert and Puck rush to his side after the both of you fall down after a clash. Much like parrying your first duel, you meet the dragonslayer with the frozen pole of the trident. This time, the pole does not break, yet the force of the strike being parried sends the both of you flying to the ground.
"You have not slain me. Our hatred will still live, and his mind shall known no peace." You hear the hound as you retreating him back to his cage, growing smaller as he returns to the depths of Guts' mind.
"Guts is a man who strives for good above all. Do not mistake his failings and his breakdowns to who he is at his best, no retreat back to where you came from!" You speak to the beast of darkness as the humiliated, minuscule hound disappears as Guts takes control of himself once more.
"Damn it... Schierke makes this look so easy! How does she do it?" You start to feel the pain back in your body as you tilt your neck to see Guts being treated by Puck.
"It usually doesn't tend to get this bad... But given the circumstances? Yeah, I bet this is real humbling." Guts chuckles, making sure you recognize the little witch's value.
"I'm glad you're back, Guts..." You speak in unison with the three of his companions.
"I could say the same thing to all of you... After deserting you so many times, always running from my responsibilities, I still have so many second chances at redemption."
"While you might have faith in your evil, we have faith in your true self!" Puck proudly places the old band of the falcon's emblem on Guts' armor, the gesture being enough for him to remember all the swords still in the hill where Casca was left at.
"While I was in the group, I kept seeing myself in a similar light as when I was in the band. Being a cracked pillar of the group, with admirable strength, but waiting to collapse at any moment. As the cracks became far too evident, I wanted to leave as soon as possible in order for the others to not get caught in the rubber... But now I realize that I wasn't the pillar that held the group together, but the other way around."
