Guts' departure resulted in a dwindling membership for The Band of the Hawk. When he hears rumors about their current situation, he decides to return. But things have changed since he left, with Casca now leading the once-celebrated heroes who are now being hunted. Their mission is to rescue Griffith, the imprisoned leader who has been tortured for a year and reduced to a mere shadow of his former self, unable to speak or wield weapons. The Hawks soon discover that Griffith possesses a mysterious trinket, the Crimson Behelit, which he guards with his life. In their pursuit to regain their former glory, the Hawks must pay a steep price. When Griffith's heart turns dark and a solar eclipse shrouds the sky, the Behelit presents a daunting option that will seal the Hawks' fate forever.