Bloodlines of the Ancient Pantheons

The Shieldmaiden looked up at him and, continuing to cry, anxiously waited for his next words.

"Dag is not alone, my dear. Freydis is with him and... not just her. I know your son very well and I am sure of one thing: wherever he is, he will have more allies than enemies. His character is splendid and surely this is thanks to the sweetness and love with which you raised him. Remember, Asa, that if Dag has become what he is now, it is mainly thanks to his mother and father."

Both Egill and Gridd talked about Dag and his deeds, not knowing that he had managed to avenge Stein's death and defeat Hakon and a member of the Court of the Xis, but the words of the Hammers of Thor's Master of Healing reassured Asa, who had long hoped to meet her son again.

"So... you're really saying that... will he be able to travel between the planets in search of these 'Crystals'? The Dag I know? That clumsy, mediocre kid?" interrupted Eirik, joining the conversation with arrogance.

"Dag is no longer as you remember, brother" Gridd said, preceding Egill's response, who he stepped aside, knowing that she was the only one who could keep her brother at bay, now that he was now the man of the house.

"The last time we met he looked like a real warrior, that's true, but... what you're talking about is the most dangerous thing I've ever heard! Maybe not even King Einar could do that! Traveling between planets and recovering ancient relics and then defeating the Frostsinners and freeing all humans from slavery... what slavery?! My life keeps flowing normally and I'm nobody's slave! Why are you all obsessed with this absurd story?!" the young lumberjack exclaimed again, venting his anger on the matter.

"You just don't want to understand, uhm? Eirik! It's not about me or our mother! It's about all humans scattered around the planets! Dag has exceptional power, the greatest power that exists on the whole Skjold! No one can stand up to him, not even your beloved and useless King! If an ancient prophecy explained that only the owner of the Fire Crystal could bring the other crystals together there will surely be a reason! Only Dag can do it, just him!" Gridd shouted, approaching her brother in a grumpy air, angry that he did not want to understand the real reasons behind that speech.

Egill and Asa, despite being in their own room, felt like a third wheel, unable to calmly meddle within the conversation.

"That's enough, Gridd, please. We didn't come here to fight but to bring a message of hope. Dag is alive and stronger than ever, that's what matters. Reidar and Freydis are with him and will help him tackle every obstacle. However, we cannot sit here with our arms crossed. I will return to the Temple Of Orn on Mount Torden and tell all the Clan warriors about your brother's actions. I would like you to do the same with your people in Hevnen" Egill said, speaking at a break between the two litigants and attracting the attention of the young Shieldmaiden.

"Of course, Egill. I was going to do it from the beginning, but I don't understand how even my family doesn't support what Dag is suffering for all of us. I will gather my forces and organize another mission to Krypstorm, whether the King wants it or not! I have no intention of stopping fighting on his side!" Gridd exclaimed once again, with conviction. 

During that heated speech, someone knocked on the door and Asa went to open it immediately.

"Karl! Oh, Karl, you're here too!" the white-haired woman said, hugging the young healer as if she was one of her children.

"Hello, Asa. How nice to see you again... it's been a long time... hello Eirik!" Karl replied, turning his greeting to both the family members of his best friend, despite the fact that he and Eirik had never had a good relationship.

The rest of the night passed between short stories and other speeches, during which Karl and Gridd recounted step by step the evolution of Dag's powers, talked about the enemies they had defeated to get to Krypstorm, and described the rescue of Freydis held captive on Vaeren Island.

Despite the tiredness, curiosity, and desire to tell those stories were stronger than sleep and Asa's guests fell asleep only for a few hours as soon as the dawn sunlight entered powerfully from the windows of the farm.

...

While life on Skjold proceeded regularly in both Okstorm and Krypstorm, Dag was still struggling with his training: having left for Asgard for about 24 hours, his intensive training session had been going on for almost a week.

Throughout those days, the young warrior tried several times to defeat Freyr, but without success, reducing him to the exhausting of his strength, but losing the fight at the very last moment, as he first did.

For the umpteenth time, the blond-haired God's flying sword touched Dag's back, while his hands tightened Freyr's neck, almost breaking it.

"Oh fuck! It's not possible! You won again!" Dag exclaimed angrily, dropping both of his weapons and moving away from his opponent, who rose from the ground despite being battered.

"The winner of the fight is..." 

"…Freyr, yes, I know. It's always him. I tried everything I could to beat him... only with the dark matter, changing my fighting style, with surprise attacks... all useless. Every time I'm about to defeat him I lose sight of his sword and find it behind me" Dag interrupted, looking at Freya with a sulky air.

Although he believed that he had not yet achieved good results, Dag was not perfectly aware of the progress his body and mind were undergoing: his musculature had strengthened in both the upper and lower parts of the body, and the power of thunder, that derived from Magni's hammer had strengthened, such as that of the dark matter.