517 DXVII. The Impostor

"Shut up! Don't you dare talk if you're not asked! I just need a look to shatter all the bones of your rib cage and blow up your internal organs" Kranus said, slowly walking forward to him as if nothing had happened, with both hands behind his back.

Dag couldn't help but think about the ease with which, with a simple gesture, the ice mage had been able to completely block a man a few meters from the ground, threatening him with death.

"Kranus is very strong... I've never seen anyone use magic like this... I wonder how strong he is turned into Jotunn..." he thought, waiting for the old wizard to start talking again.

Meanwhile, Kron remained silent, not expressing his opinion and merely witnessing what was going on before his eyes.

"Commander... I'm not sure that..." 

"Atran, pretend you've never seen this man. Remember that he may not even be who he says he is... his face is the same as your squire and also his voice, but keep in mind what Lies Of Loki's unique power consists of. Those sons of bitches are Skjold's most skilled shapeshifters, don't forget that. You can unmask him, your commander is asking for your help" Kranus interrupted, noting that his general was in trouble and drops of sweat fell from his forehead as if he was sorry to put the innocent man's life at risk.

However, after a deep breath, Atran opened his eyes again and stepped forward, positioning himself just below Ned, looking down on him.

"But what are you talking about? Lies Of Loki?! What do I have to do with those bastards? Chief, I've always been loyal to the cause and to our Clan, what are you saying?!" Ned yelled, waving, as his face expressed all the fear he was feeling at the time.

"What's the groom's name?" Atran asked, assuming an incredibly serious expression.

"What? This is ridiculous, boss! Really, I'm Ned!" the man stuck to the wall exclaimed again.

"The name of the groom. I won't ask you again."

"It's Horace!... the old Horace builds the best saddles of Krypstorm and engraves the same rune under each hoof of his horses, as a sign of recognition" Ned replied, spitting out all the information he had about the subject in question.

Atran turned to Kranus, asking him with his gaze for mercy for that innocent man, having a bond of sympathy with him, who had never disrespected him and had always been dutiful.

"You know it's not enough. Keep on asking…" the ice mage replied, ordering his general not to stop with questions.

"Ned, don't force us to hurt you... if you confess now, maybe your life will be spared. What were you really doing behind Dag's window?" the blonde-bearded warrior continued.

"Are you saying I'm lying, you son of a bitch?" the young Master exclaimed, slightly moving Atran and taking his place under the ice-wrapped man, looking at him with an air of defiance.

"I'm just saying that since I've been a kid, my parents have taught me that you have to trust your Jotunns brothers first, the warriors of your Clan! And not strangers, who could come up with stories to use to their advantage!" Ned said again, continuing to accuse Dag, exploiting the fact that he was an Okstorm warrior not belonging to their clan.

After hearing those words, Atran's gaze went out and he began to look down as if he was deeply sorry for something.

He put a hand on Dag's shoulder, and he moved sideways, making room for his companion.

While Ned looked on hopefully to have convinced him with his response, Atran slowly moved his hand behind his back and grabbed the handle of a dagger tied on the back of his belt.

Before everyone else in the room realized what was going to happen, the head of Outpost 1 lowered himself on his knees and then jumped upwards, pulling out the dagger with superhuman speed and sticking its blade on Ned's forehead, piercing it.

The sound of Ned's skull smashing under the blade of Atran's dagger echoed inside the room.

"Wowowo! Fuck! What did you do?!" Dag exclaimed, stepping back and looking at the dagger wedged in the middle of Ned's forehead, whose eyes had crossed and been pointing to the void, filling with blood, which simultaneously dripped from the wound, partially entering his open mouth.

"The real Ned was found in the snow when he was just a child and he never met his true parents, I remember this detail very well, he himself told me. This man was an impostor!" Atran said, looking at the corpse hanging from the wall angrily.

Just after those words, Ned's face began to change appearance, and the somatic traits of his nose and mouth became those of another person, a completely different man.

"That's it! Did you see that? Ever since he said that thing I immediately realized he was a spy!" Atran continued, who was standing in front of him as if looking at a painting in a museum.

"Damn bastards... so it's all true! They're also among us! I wonder how many there are out there! There may be dozens and they may have informed our enemies about our movements for a long time! Damn it..." Kranus mumbled, who turned back and moved his hand with a quick gesture.

Immediately the ice holding the impostor stuck on the wall melted and the dead body fell to the ground, in front of Dag's feet.