304 CCCIV. Combine The Information

"Hahahaha! It's amazing! Here he is, safe and sound! Then you did it yourself, again!" a voice beside him exclaimed.

He turned and when Karl's face appeared to him, he squeezed his friend into a fraternal hug.

"You made it again! Kjell told me what happened... your deeds will remain forever written in the annals of Skjegg's libraries!" the young healer continued, touching the shoulder of his friend and Captain.

Dag chuckled and scratched his head, embarrassed by all those compliments, knowing that what had happened had only been the result of his anger channeled in the right way.

"Where are the Masters? Are they upstairs?" he asked, beginning to walk to the stairs.

"Yes, I think so. Wait, I'm coming with you".

Karl, Freydis, and Dag climbed the stairs, finding themselves in the library, completely empty.

"Up here, boys! We're on the top floor!" a deep, baritone voice, similar to Sander's shouted.

At that point the three teammates went up to the floor, discovering that all three Crows Of Odin Masters were there waiting for them, after learning of their return.

Sander approached Dag and spread his big arms.

He looked at him confusedly when the man hugged him and lifted him off the ground, blocking his breath for a few seconds.

"Uaagh! Th... thank you, Master Sander! I missed you too!" Dag said with a thread of voice, feeling his chest stuck in those sturdy arms.

"I Thank you, boy! I knew it! I knew there was something in you, I felt it inside my bones!" he exclaimed, freeing Dag from the grip.

"I just did my duty to the Iron Alliance. The pact we made for me is sacred and I will honor it at the cost of losing my life" Dag replied, adjusting his crumpled clothes and speaking in a serious and convinced tone.

"Alright, alright... I wish I had been there when with that tremendous blow you wiped out dozens of Jotunns! It must have been amazing! I knew from your eyes that you were a strong, brave warrior, but this... this goes beyond my expectations!" he continued, touching his long beard, smug.

Before Dag could respond, Gridd and Reidar also entered the room, happy to be all reunited after the victory.

"The danger that threatened the coasts southeast of Runar seems to have been driven away, but we cannot say for sure that we have solved the problem definitively. Dag, we'd like to know if you've been able to get any important information about the Giants' future plans, so we can figure out what our next move will be" Kjell said, taking the floor and interrupting Sander's laudatory speech.

"No, I couldn't. The Jotunn who had stolen my axe was actually a young magician, incredibly skilled at creating ice barriers, also if they weren't a big problem for me. Shortly before he died, his last words were 'they told me I couldn't kill anyone'. I don't know exactly what that means, but I don't think it's related to their war plans. I then tried to ask him if his Clan had declared war on Okstorm or had forged alliances with other enemy Clans, but I received no answer" Dag replied, trying to be as detailed as possible.

"Stolen your axe?" Sander asked in amazement.

"Yes, after being unarmed, Dag noticed that one of the giants had picked up his axe from the ground and started running towards their boat, docked on the other side of the rocky coast" Ellen said, who stood still to listen, arms crossed and one foot leaning against the wall.

At that moment, Freydis looked at Dag, suggesting that he should talk to his allies about what they had discussed in private in their dorm room.

He took a deep breath, as if to convince himself it was the right thing, and then said: "Actually, the story is more complicated than that. During our first interrogation of the fishermen of one of the villages that had escaped the first attack, a young girl confessed to having heard two enemies talk to each other about a 'crystal'".

"Dag, you're not really going to believe a little girl's words, do you?" Ellen snorted, as Kjell sat down at the table, ready to listen to Dag's reasoning.

"I told you, Ellen... in my life, I have learned never to underestimate anything. What if that little girl's words are true? What if the Jotunns were really interested in the crystals embedded in my axe?" Dag asked back, realizing that he had said perhaps a little too much about the Giantbane.

"So... wait for a second, I'm not understanding anything. Did the Giants Of Ymir steal your axe to get some crystals embedded on it? What's the point of all this? Does it have to do with your powers?" Sander replied, trying to clarify the speech.

Dag turned to his companions, looking at them as whenever he didn't know whether to tell something or not because he knew that sometimes his naivety had only caused him trouble.

After an affirmative nod from Reidar and Karl, who perfectly remembered the story of that axe and the adventure to reach Weland in the depths of the planet, Dag told his new allies the whole truth about the Giantbane, including his fight against the God.

An expression of disbelief and astonishment slowly drew on the faces of his interlocutors, who, as he told everything in detail, could not believe his story.

"Dag, you know how much I value you, but this story seems a little too imaginary to me... we all know the legend of Weland, the blacksmith who forged some epic weapons, like that of the wise Mìmir, but surely none of us have ever managed to meet him, or even defeat him in a fight!" Sander exclaimed after paying attention to the story.

Ellen shook her head, puzzled, while Kjell continued to remain silent, reflecting on Dag's words.

"I think I have proven my loyalty and honesty to you. Now tell me, why should I lie to you so shamelessly? What's in it for me, saying that my axe was forged by Weland himself? My comrades fought at my side and believe me... He forced us to do it because he believed I was a threat!" Dag continued, also questioning Reidar and Karl, who came forward.