Bloodlines of the Ancient Pantheons

"The emblem... does it belong to you, old man?" asked Dag.

"It's my son's. He will kill you and your friends" he replied, in a menacing tone.

Dag turned to the door.

Reidar, within seconds, after quietly opening the window, drew his bow and charged an arrow.

After shooting, someone from outside screamed in pain.

He hit one of the targets.

"There were three armed men, Captain... now two of them" he said, crouching under the windowsill, to hide.

"Now it's your turn, Karl" Dag said.

Karl nodded his head, confirming Dag's order and taking a serious attitude.

He stepped back, when a man in armor burst through the front door, screaming.

As soon as the door opened, Karl with a shield shot, violently hit the assailant on the head, knocking him to the ground, unconscious.

"Less than two!" said Karl, looking at Dag for his approval.

Dag smiled at both of his companions and walked outward.

"Keep an eye on the two old ones. Make sure they don't go anywhere" Dag said, in a serious tone.

Reidar pointed the bow at them, that knelt on the ground, motionless.

Karl stood in front of the door, looking at both Dag and the two prisoners.

From behind the fence, among the vegetation, a young man wearing green armor sprang up.

He wielded a long sword and walked toward Dag, dragging it to the ground.

Dag untied the straps that held Brann's axe on his back and placed the Red Executioner next to Karl, who grabbed it.

The enemy kept walking at the edge of the pig fence.

He was wearing a green metal helmet with two small horns on the sides.

"Kenneth, right?" said Dag, in a defiant tone.

The young man looked at him with an expression of anger.

Before Dag could speak again, Kenneth charged towards him, trying to hit him with the sword.

Dag deftly dodged the shot, moving to one side and stepped back.

"Hello to you too, Kenneth. Don't worry, your parents are fine" Dag said.

"Who the fuck are you?!" he asked.

"My name is Dag, of the Hammers Of Thor Clan. I know about your emblem, I propose a formal challenge. The winner will take the emblem" Dag continued, showing Kenneth his own necklace.

"Mh... that emblem is worthless. Mine is the bronze eye, the n° 8 emblem" he replied, in a tone of superiority.

Dag marveled at what his opponent had just said: he had managed to get straight to the eighth emblem, skipping the n° 9.

He pointed the hammer at him.

"Do you accept the challenge?" replied Dag.

"I have no choice, you slimy bastard! You've got my parents hostage. I will reduce you to mush and give your miserable necklace to a dear friend of mine. I, Kenneth, warrior of the Grey Mountains, challenge you for the emblem" he replied, formally ushering in the challenge.

After he had finished speaking, he charged back to Dag, waving his sword at him, who repeatedly dodged his blows.

Kenneth stepped back and uttered a scream: he tried again to hit Dag, but this time his sword became rock and stretched for several meters.

Dag, not expecting such power, raised his hammer to parry the blow.

On impact between the two weapons, a loud roar moved the leaves of the vegetation behind them and the animals in the fence began to run in fear.

Dag sprang backward, while Kenneth laid the great stone blade of his sword on his shoulder.

"You're strong!" said Dag, astonished.

Kenneth looked at him angrily, annoyed by his irreverence.

He raised his sword up to the sky: the new blade was about 5 meters high, its range had almost tripled.

Meanwhile, Dag stood still, waiting for Kenneth's attack. On his arms, the black liquid began to flow, which slid up to the hammer.

Kenneth released the sword, dropping it towards Dag, who quickly dodged and charged towards him.

Before Kenneth could move his weapon again, Dag hit him in the chest with the hammer, unleashing purple lightning bolts, which for a few moments enveloped the body of his enemy, who left the hilt of the sword and flew for a few meters before falling to the ground.

"You're too slow" Dag continued, approaching Kenneth and reaching out his hand toward him to help him get up.

Kenneth slapped Dag's hand, angrily driving him away.

"How dare you provoke me?!" he yelled.

Dag returned to the combat position.

Kenneth charged with his bare hands towards him, trying to hit him with a direct punch, which Dag dodged by lowering himself.

The fist was followed by a kick and then another punch.

Dag blocked the shot with the palm of his hand, activating Adamant Mountain.

When the fist hit the target, Kenneth's body stiffened and his joints froze.

Dag advanced toward him, using Hamstring: around his hammer, an air current granted it sharp power.

He lowered himself toward Kenneth's legs and hit his knee, tearing his tendon.

"Aaagh!" he yelled, kneeling, still paralyzed.

"Give up. I don't want to kill you in front of your parents. Give me your emblem and I will leave you mine" Dag said, walking slowly around his opponent.

"Don't say... nonsense... you will never beat me" Kenneth said, rising from the ground with one leg.

Dag looked at him. He didn't seem intent on surrendering.

Kenneth clenched his fists and the earth under his feet began to tremble.

The ground rose to his feet, reaching his ankles and legs: within seconds his entire body was covered with earth.

Dag stepped back, looking at the sword of rock, which was still on the ground.

Without wasting any more time, he also clenched his fists and activated Call Of The Berserkr: his muscles swelled and his heart began to pump much more blood to his organs.

When the earth slipped away from Kenneth, everyone looked at him in amazement: his body had become stone. His hamstring seemed to have regenerated.