566 DLXVI. Worthless Toys

The man's arms rose and his hands covered in black leather gloves sprang from the wide sleeves of the cape.

The same hands grabbed the big hood and, in a rapid movement, moved it from his head, finally revealing his true identity.

Two fire-red eyes were pointed at Dag and a red hair mohawk sprang out of the hood, a distinctive feature of the Lies Of Loki boss.

Hakon's expression put the chills on everyone in front of him: a slight malignant smile and shadow on his face communicated his enormous power, made of pure wickedness.

After taking off his hood, he grabbed the cloak at his chest and violently pulled it away, throwing it to the ground.

Hakon wore a light all-black armor, made entirely of leather, different from the one he wore when he killed Brann, in Egill's memory.

"Here I am, in person... I used the gift of the night to teleport here. I couldn't help but personally welcome my most important guest" he replied, continuing to look only at Dag with his evil eyes.

The young Master, before losing control, tried to control his breath, thinking about possible attack options. 

"There are chains around his arms... if he fights as he did against Brann, those chains are connected to poisoned blades that he hides under his wrists... he doesn't know that I've seen him in action before, I absolutely have to use this to my advantage... but how?! I left my weapons in the castle dining room... without them, I cannot exploit my power or even activate my new feral ability..." 

"What is it? You don't say anything? You've been wanting to meet me for so long, and yet... you stand still there, shaking like a leaf... mmmh... that's not good" Hakon interrupted, who began to move again, walking sideways, as the heat generated by his feet continued to melt the snow beneath them.

"Captain, if that man is really Hakon... this means that he is extremely powerful... remember that he managed alone to defeat Master Brann, who was the strongest warrior of our Clan..." Reidar whispered, trying to warn Dag and realizing that only two arrows remained in his quiver and that his help would therefore be derisory.

Dag nodded, signaling to his companion that he understood and continued to follow Hakon with his eyes, while Freydis was petrified and Kron and Atran did not know how to behave.

"My friends!" the young Master said, out of the blue.

All four warriors on his current team turned to him, waiting for his words.

Dag's words were followed by a chilling silence and all his comrades hesitated before obeying the order.

Freydis looked at her boyfriend with tears in her eyes, but Dag was so focused on the enemy that for the first time did not reciprocate her gaze, making her realize that he had been waiting for that fight all his life and that she could not stop him either.

Reidar put his hand on her shoulder and together with her and the other two Generals, he walked away, stopping in front of the castle door, about thirty meters from Dag and Hakon, facing each other.

"Hey, take it easy, kid... I just wanted to have a chat with you, but I see you do not agree... you're a marvel of chemistry, I've always believed that... your nature will never cease to amaze me..." the enemy leader said, standing still with both hands in his pocket.

"You don't know anything about chemistry and you don't know anything about me. I don't know how long you've been spying on what I'm doing and how I behave, but I don't care. If you did it, it means you fear me, you're fearing I might defeat you. And if a warrior of your caliber were defeated by a kid like me, it would be a tragedy, am I right?" Dag replied, who incredibly managed to keep calm.

The young Master's response visibly annoyed Hakon, whose smile instantly turned into a serious expression.

"You are not the only one who has studied the behavior of your enemy, I have also got some information about you. However, I don't understand how the emblem n°6 does all this noise" Dag continued, being enigmatic, imagining that his opponent had no idea what the Bjelke Sphere was and how it worked.

"Ehehe... the more I listen to you talk, the more I regret that your life has now come to an end... it's not personal, but what you have, it belongs to me by right. I don't know what you're talking about, but I don't just own the emblem n°6... I have four of them, my dear boy. The fourth, the sixth, the fifth... and the second" Hakon replied, keeping his hands still in his pocket.

"What?! Did he really say he owns the fourth emblem?! He could challenge King Einar and claim the crown! The only warrior stronger than that man is the King himself!" Reidar exclaimed, who after those words was even more terrified of what he was about to see, believing that, despite his incredible strength, Dag would not be able to defeat a warrior of that strength.

"Anyway... they're just stupid worthless toys, they don't matter to me... I collect them only for personal satisfaction. You have to defeat the best to be the best, right?" Hakon continued, as that wicked smile reappeared on his face.

*sniff*sniff*

Dag began sniffing something in the air, pretending to ignore the comment of his interlocutor, who was astonished at his irreverence.