Reread of the Hawk: Berserk, Volume 20

What Happens

The Spider’s Thread

As the spirits burst through the chapel door, the spider-thing stings Mozgus and his men. Isidro, Nina, Luca, and Jerome flee up the stairs towards the chapel but become trapped between the spirits at the door and those behind them. Then a pillar of flame bursts through the door, burning away the spirits and exposing an unconscious Casca. She falls into the arms of the fire’s source – Mozgus, who vows to complete his holy mission by burning the “witch” at the stake. One of his men, the midget, recognizes Nina as Casca’s companion. The cone-headed one attacks them, using his weapon, a four-pronged grip attached to a chain, to tear a chunk from a pillar and launch it at the four. It misses but leaves a large hole in the wall, which causes part of the floor to give way, sending Nina and Luca over the edge, the former caught by Isidro and Jerome while she holds Luca tenuously by the hand.

Those Who Dance at the Summit, Those Who Creep in the Depths

Luca lets go of Nina’s hands, but as she falls the Skull Knight catches her. Behind the others cone-head throws another chunk of pillar, but before it can hit them Guts, guided to the top of the tower by Puck’s sensing of Casca’s presence, smashes through it He narrowly misses Mozgus, who realizes Guts is the renowned Black Swordsman. He refuses to relinquish Casca as he and his men unfurl their wings.

The Skull Knight lands in what he tells Luca are the burial grounds at the base of the tower. He senses something else there, and an egg-shaped shadow slowly approaches.

Hell’s Angels

Guts fights the torturers and they smash up the chapel between them. The others and a newly-arrived Farnese look on in astonishment (except Puck; he’s seen more impressive).

Reread of the Hawk: Berserk, Volume 19

What Happens

The Black Swordsman on Holy Ground

The heretics insist on bringing Casca clothing and jewels (where’d they get those?) as tribute, and both Luca and Nina are worried about being found out. Some of the Knights have arrested one of the other prostitutes, whom Luca tries to help by interposing herself between her and the leader’s whip. Then Guts shows up and demands to know if they’ve apprehended a woman with a brand on her chest. The leader insists he doesn’t know, and Guts kills the two who charge him after he tosses the former aside.

Straying

Guts kills two more of the Knights. Emboldened, someone in the crowd throws a stone at the leader. Intimidated by their glares, he backs off and the Knights leave. Luca takes Guts to their tent, but Casca and Nina are gone. The latter, who’d argued for turning Casca out, has taken her to the heretics. Isidro and Puck see them and follow them, the former planning to use rescuing Casca as leverage to get Guts to train him.

Ambition Boy

Joachim is brought to Farnese and agrees to lead the Knights to the heretics’ hideout. She is also informed that Guts is here but refuses to try and capture him.

At the hideout, the heretics plan to cut out Nina’s heart as an offering to the “witch” Casca, who will then “mingle” with the man who takes on the role of the Great Goat. Before they can kill Nina Isidro starts throwing rocks, telling Puck to fetch Guts. The heretics try to catch Isidro, but Interstice spirits emerge from the cauldron smoke, drawn by Casca’s Brand. The Knights arrive to find not only heretics, but possessed ones.

Goals for 2012

It was a close thing at points (at least, Reread of the Hawk was), but this blog here is back in business and likely to stay that way. That being said, it definitely needs some work, and I have a few goals in mind to get things moving around here:

- Get the Reread of the Hawk posts out in a timely manner. At first I actually thought I’d be able to do two a week; obviously that didn’t work, but I haven’t been that good at even doing once a week, and for the second half I’m hoping to change that. The goal as of now is once a week on Saturdays or Sundays.

 -  Actually write about other stuff. This isn’t supposed to be the Berserk version of A Blog of Ice and Fire; that was just something I intended to start off with because I wanted to try my hand at blogging about a reread and so that I’d have something to post consistently at first (see above) while I thought of other things to write about (see below). Reread of the Hawk isn’t going anywhere, if only because the other reason for doing it was to prove to myself that I could see a personal project through, but it’s also been over four months since I wrote about anything else. I intend to change that.

 -  Develop more focus. I jumped into blogging with the intent on improving my writing and work ethic, but with little real idea of a particular focus. Fantasy fiction will definitely be part of it, and probably writing too, but about what topics in either field? What do I have to say that’s worth saying and others wouldn’t cover better? Those are the questions that need to be answered going forward.

 -  Comment more on other blogs and join some forums. Won’t be able to build much of an audience if I don’t put myself out there more, and interaction with others is a great way to get inspiration and topics. I know I’ve wanted to at least comment on blogs I follow, but I’m rarely sure of anything meaningful to add and don’t want to comment just for the sake of doing so.

And that’s it for now. Step 1: get the post for Volume 19 finished by the end of the week. We’ll see how it goes from there.

Reread of the Hawk: Berserk, Volume 18

It's alive!

I'd give an explanation for the long absence, but it'd just be excuses. I'm also not sure this one is as good as it theoretically could be given the time I've had, but I've let things slide enough and giving it 'just a bit more time' probably isn't going to change much at this point.

So without further ado, let's get back into this:

What Happens

Kushan Scouts, Chapters 1-2

In an abandoned village a boy named Isidro watches from hiding as a group of Kushan scouts easily dispatch a band of mercenaries. Then Guts walks through town and kills them just as easily. On a nearby hilltop Silat reminds his men they’re here to scout, not intervene – yet, and warns them not to underestimate Guts.

Tower of Shadow, Chapters 1-2

At St. Albion’s, some of the refugees are so desperate they try to steal food from a wagon bringing tribute to the monastery. They are quickly surrounded by Farnese and her men, but one woman pleads for her child, who’s too sick to even nurse. Mozgus overhears and commends the woman for her concern, promising to show mercy.

The would-be thieves are taken into the monastery. The woman’s baby is brought to a physician, and Mozgus promises her he will receive proper care. Then he takes her to the torture chamber to pay for her crime with her fellow refugees. Farnese is horrified by the hellish spectacle unfolding within, but Mozgus tells her she must not look away – God is not only benevolent but a judge as well.

Jerome, one of the Holy Iron Chain Knights, takes his leave of Luca. He gives her food as the usual payment but also a necklace as a sign of his favor, promising to make her his mistress when he returns home. But Luca makes a point of not believing everything johns tell her and shares the beads with her fellow prostitutes. She has them share half the food among their neighbours to maintain goodwill. They keep Casca, whom they call Elaine because she can’t tell them her real name, swathed in bandages, claiming she has syphilis; they’re worried some of the men in the camp won’t be able to resist a pretty girl who can’t say ‘no.’

Reread of the Hawk: Berserk, Volume 17

Halfway through! Yahoo!

What Happens

The Unseen

Puck steals the keys and frees Guts (after wringing out a thank you). They sneak back to Farnese’s tent to get Guts’s things and knock her out, but a guard spots them and forces Guts to take her hostage to escape. He sets her tent on fire and lets the horses loose, but Serpico follows behind him in the confusion.

When Farnese regains consciousness Guts tells her he’s not letting her go until she answers some questions, dangling her over the rocky ground when she refuses to cooperate. Puck tries to apologize for Guts’s behaviour but realizes she can’t see him. Serpico, however, seems to see the spirits that fly past him.

Night of Miracles

The spirits swarm Guts and the others. Farnese can feel their touch if not see them. The horse stumbles and throws them off, into a pack of wild dogs the spirits promptly possess. Farnese refuses to believe her eyes, but Guts tells her that’s why it’s a miracle as he starts killing them.

Past and Future

Farnese tries to mount the horse and run, but it’s possessed too, and almost does things the other way around. Guts rushes back and decapitates it. Puck wonders why that provoked him so much and receives an impression of Casca’s rape.

As the sun comes up Farnese is shaken by the fact she was unable to call on God the entire time.

Reread of the Hawk: Berserk, Volume 16

In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have said "definitely."

What Happens

Monster

Jill’s father (his name is Zepek) and the Holy Iron Chain Knights arrive at the site of Guts’s battle with the guardians, who are so thoroughly scattered and mutilated it’s initially taken to be the work of cannon and a whole squad of soldiers. Serpico, one of Farnese’s lieutenants, deduces that nope, it’s actually one man with a really big sword. The Knights are now convinced Guts is the prophesied Hawk of Darkness.

The elves swarm Guts, but he kills them by diving into the flames, extinguishing himself with the fluid from a cocoon.

Sky Demon

Rosine tries to attack Guts, but the trees prevent her from maneuvering. Amidst the flames she transforms into her full Apostle form. Everything is in ruins, but she vows that she’ll fly elsewhere and start anew, so long as she has Jill. But first, Guts has to pay.

Reread of the Hawk: Berserk, Volume 15

Okaaayyy...This is way later than it should have been and I don't have any real excuse for it. Let's see if we can get back on track. The next update will definitely be up next Sunday.

What Happens

Queen

Seeing the elves’ mischievous attitude and disdain for “grown-ups”, Puck realizes they’re children – human children. Seeing Puck talking to Guts, the queen, larger than the rest, tauntingly calls him “Peekaf”, and Jill seems to recognize her voice. She throws herself in front of Guts when the queen tries to attack him, calling her “Rosine.” Hearing this, the queen calls the others off and leaves.

The villagers are horrified by Guts’s actions, but he only laughs, reminding them that none of them raised a finger to help the boy. Then someone realizes there are bodies burning in the wreckage – children’s bodies.