Bloodlines of the Ancient Pantheons

Chapter 216: CCXVI. The Rocky Crown

The rock face flowed next to the platform, equipped with a low wooden fence as protection not to fall down and Dag continued to look up, unable to wait any longer to achieve his goal and meet his woman.

"So? How are you going to do that? What is our action plan? We find the Masters, and then?" asked Gridd, approaching him so as not to be heard by strangers.

"This time I don't have a precise plan... I'll improvise. I'm sorry, Gridd, but I can't think of anything but Freydis. After I'll see her, I'm sure I'll be able to concentrate. Besides, I believe that you have great communication skills, too. If I will not convince them to join the Iron Alliance, you will" Dag replied, without looking down.

"All right. I'm going to help you, don't worry, but remember, you're the Warchief! You have to be ready to interface with anyone, without distracting yourself from your goal!" continued Gridd, who feared that Dag's mind was completely elsewhere, even though he was aware of the importance of the mission, which by the way had been his idea.

"Don't worry, sister. Just trust me" he replied, looking into her eyes and smiling.

"About 5 minutes after it had left the ground, the wooden platform reached the Rocky Crown of Skjegg and its passengers got off its surface, which went back down, to allow other people to climb. 

The path carved into the rock was actually a real road, carefully tended: on the ground, gray tiles were wedged into each other, giving a regal appearance to the road, which from the point where the platform arrived, branched out in two directions, one to the right and one to the left, continuing throughout the circular crown. 

The spikes that formed the top part of the structure, ran around the edges of the overhang, perfectly embedded in the rock and tied together with steel beams, which grant them great mechanical resistance to the weather.

"Which way?" asked Karl, who never stopped admiring the city's building quality.

"This way. The guard told us that the Masters are staying in the tallest building... there it is" Dag exclaimed, pointing to a multi-story concrete building, located a hundred meters from them, along the circumference.

As they walked, a group of warriors put themselves between them and the palace. 

"Where you gonna go?" asked a menacing-looking Berserkr.

"We have an important communication to make at your Masters. Where can we find them?" said Dag, trying to be courteous, despite his interlocutor's abrupt manner.

"Hahahaha! Did you hear that? They want to talk to our Masters! Hahaha! C'mon, don't be silly!" the man continued, mocking Dag with his companions, who giggled behind him.

"What do you find so funny?" asked Dag, continuing to keep his composure.

The man approached him, stopping a few inches from his face, looking at him with an air of superiority.

Reidar stepped forward to intervene, when Gridd stopped him, resting a hand on his chest.

"Leave it to him" she said, continuing to watch her brother dealing with that group of unknown warriors.

The Berserkr was taller and more robust than Dag, with a short black beard and ruffled black hair.

"You come here and want to talk to our Masters... who do you think you are, kids? We don't have time to play with you, go back to where you came from" he exclaimed, pushing away Dag, who stepped back, giggling.

"We are Masters too. He's from the Hammers Of Thor, I'm from the Sons Of Freya. Haven't they ever taught you respect? Who are you, what is your rank? Is this the way the Crows of Odin treat guests? Step aside, without objecting!" exclaimed Gridd, who had lost patience.

At those words, the warriors in front of them began to chat, wondering if that young woman was telling the truth, while the Berserkr in front of Dag did not move an inch.

"You? You're a Master? Hahaha! What kind of joke is this? Let's get it over with right away!" he continued, pretending to turn around, then trying to punch Dag, that raised his hand and blocked the shot with ease, merely pushing back his opponent, who opened his eyes wide, astonished.

"Let's do this way: you'll go back to do your chores and let the adults talk, okay?" exclaimed Dag, pulling the n 8 emblem out of his pocket.

After seeing the eye-shaped pendant, the group of warriors knelt before him, making room for him.

"How do you... how is it possible that such a young boy has..."

"Never take anything for granted, brother" interrupted Dag, who passed in front of the Berserkr, giving him a friendly slap on the face and causing him to growl with nervousness, not being able to contradict him, because of his higher rank.

"If that's their way of introducing themselves, I think it's going to be hard convincing them to ally with us. I hope it's just an isolated phenomenon, I trust that their Masters are different" Reidar said, continuing to look with contempt at that pack of arrogant and grumpy warriors.

He and Gridd began to talk again, while Dag approached Karl.

"Look around you. Notify me if you see your sister" he said, impatiently.

"Of course, Dag, I was already looking for her. But with your improved sight, I doubt I can see her before you!" chuckled Karl, trying to relax his friend, whose impatience was visible even meters away.

Other groups of warriors walked around the Rocky Crown, carrying weapons, talking to each other, and training.

But there was no Freydis among them, or rather, Dag could not see her.

His gaze had become so powerful that he could even distinguish the details of the buildings on the other side of the mountains, as well as the faces of passers-by. 

But still nothing, Freydis was not among them.

"It's possible that she has made a career too, Dag... like you and me. Maybe she became a Master. Relax, brother. She must be here, somewhere" Gridd said, touching Dag's shoulder, which had stood motionless looking around, with a lost air.