Destination Forks: The Real World of Twilight

Give it back...

Give back...

My warm body...

Oh, no...

Let's go home, Elaine!

It's getting dark.

A Nighttime Feast: Burning at the Stake

Wow...

I knew it, he's...

Shit!

He took off without me again!

He won't leave me behind!

Hey, we've been on the move since yesterday.

If you don't rest, you'll be exhausted when we reach our destination.

I wonder what happened to the boy.

His nasty looks and stubbornness kind of reminded me of you, Guts.

Yeah, right.

No sudden stops!

Be more considerate of your host!

What is it this time?

Someone I've known for a long time.

You look to be in good health, Struggler.

An elf?

An interesting choice of companions.

Huh?

He's kind of...

Been a while, old man.

What are you doing out here?

I am a foe to otherworldly beings.

You will soon learn what lies ahead.

There's an Apostle nearby?

Or their root cause.

You don't mean...

They're...

The God Hand is here?

Did you not also see the shining hawk in your dreams?

That was a revelation.

That someone, who signifies the hawk, will appear in this mortal world.

The hawk...

The hawk?

The flocks of sheep are being guided to a blood-stained holy land.

What they seek is a hawk of light.

When the place of power attains a critical threshold, what normally lies in

the realm of gods is incarnated, once every thousand years.

You and the girl will find yourselves thrown into that maelstrom,

as though tracing a passage through time.

The Eclipse...

An event similar to the Eclipse is about to occur.

It's about to...

It's going to happen again?

Joy?

Unfortunately, no man possesses the means to change this festival's outcome.

A shadow will be born.

It will simply be a shadow cast by a dying sun that shines on a faraway land.

You're saying the outcome will be the same as last time?

That we are both here, without meaning to be,

is proof beyond reproach.

We are already caught in the whorls of karma.

Shadows, karma... Like I give a damn.

In the past, I borrowed your powers, sure.

But this time, I will draw on my own strength to save her!

And I'll...

Perhaps that brand will be of assistance to you.

What?

A word of advice.

Do not have more than one that you care for.

Man, what is our holy commander thinking?

Why is she kissing up to Father Mozgus?

Yeah, she sure has some noble faith.

Hey, she can hear you!

Oh, my apologies...

Please be more careful!

Come on...

Don't waste food.

Why is a klutz like him the officer of arms?

Sorry.

Because he wags his tail and falls over himself to please her, that's why.

Anyway, we have even more of them now.

More what?

Refugees.

A-Ah, where is Father Mozgus?

I will come with you.

I was just on my way to the chapel to call him.

Did we shock you?

Er, no...

All of us have been persecuted because of our appearances.

Exiled from villages and towns,

we were reviled as monsters.

Some even lived in hiding, in the forests.

Please look.

I was born with a rare disease.

Without this mask,

I'd be burned all over my body.

I wouldn't even look human anymore...

God, I thank you for bringing us here today in a fateful act.

Child of fate, find pride and faith within yourself.

I do not like my work.

I cannot find it within myself to enjoy hurting others.

But still, I am proud.

For this is a holy task given to me by God.

What is this sound?

It is the sound of

my master's worship.

Prostration.

Eh?

Every day, morning and evening,

Father Mozgus prostrates himself before God a thousand times.

In the past decade, he hasn't failed to do so even once.

He seems to be finished.

Well met, Lady Farnese.

Father Mozgus, you're bleeding...

Ah, excuse me.

This tower is a most sacred place.

A holy man, imprisoned here by the conqueror Gaiseric,

continued to recount the king's sins to God, even while being tortured.

Eventually, in response to his pleas, an angel is said to have descended.

I cannot help but be more devout in my worship here.

Thank you.

Because of these wounds, I can barely walk.

I can run no longer.

But I am fond of this agony.

My holy mission is to enforce God's stern law.

Regrettably, that means causing agony to many.

These wounds are admonitions to me,

as well as proof of my faith.

Are you having some kind of doubts?

I am simply unsure.

Will this mission allow us to save people?

The common people bear us only ill will.

And though it shames me to admit,

even some among my Holy Iron Chain Knights oppose this mission.

Please dismiss this as a mere initiate's ramblings.

But I fear that continuing this way will mean that terror spreads unchecked,

exhausting the people's hearts and minds.

You must not deplore difficult tasks.

You must not question God.

Though you may endure bloodshed, in both mind and body,

you must continue to live for God's glory.

That is faith.

It is for God, and God alone, that we act.

For God.

And God alone...

For God alone!

Thank you for always doing this...

Don't strain yourself, ma'am.

Hey, Elaine!

Come on, you can't get yourself all muddy like this.