Bloodlines of the Ancient Pantheons

Despite being tired, the three companions picked up the pace, eager to discover the room at the end of the stairs.

After about twenty minutes, finally, the exit of the tunnel became visible: a warm and intense light came from the next room.

Dag turned to them and nodded with his hand, ordering them to remain silent.

He left the torch on the ground, to prevent Vegard from noticing them. Firstly he wanted to make sure he wasn't dangerous, he was always a man in contact with the Gods, after all.

Dag approached the entrance to the luminous room and was forced to cover his eyes for a few seconds before he could see, because of the darkness in which they had walked for hours.

A constant metallic noise rumbled into the huge room, the vault of which was tens of meters high.

In addition to that noise, there was another in the background: from some rocks at several meters high, liters and liters of dense magma fell into the lava pool, which matched the description provided by Asa.

In front of the lava fall, a man of sturdy build and medium height, gave Dag his back, striking with his hammer a piece of burning metal, on an anvil larger than a table, placed at the foot of the red-hot pool.

Dag took courage and entered the room boldly, without saying anything.

His companions followed him, looking around with their mouth open, trying to realize that they were not in a dream, while their captain slowly continued to walk.

"I wasn't expecting any visitors..." said Vegard, without even turning to them, as he continued to hammer on the anvil.

Dag took the metal ring of the elemental and threw it on the ground in front of him, under the astonished gaze of Reidar and Karl, who were still near the exit of the staircase, admiring the countless weapons hanging on the walls, which were identical to those of the legend.

The sound of the metal ring rumbled across the room, and when the blacksmith heard it, it stopped hitting the anvil, slightly turning his head toward Dag.

"I need your help, Vegard" exclaimed Dag, confident, even though he was intimidated.

The blacksmith laid down the hammer and turned to him, who had managed to get his attention.

"I had sealed the door for a reason. I haven't let anyone get in here in years. You managed to get past the guard of Aqueous, the water elemental" Vegard said, picking up the metal ring from the ground.

"I would have preferred to join you without a fight, but that was not possible" Dag continued, trying to make the blacksmith understand his good intentions.

As the blacksmith looked at the ring in his hands, Dag unhooked the Red Executioner's straps, holding it and showing it to Vegard, who sighed as soon as he recognized the axe.

"Remember this weapon? It's one of your creations" Dag asked, looking into Vegard's eyes.

The blacksmith was exactly as Brann had described him to Asa: he had long hair, covering part of his face, blackened by the sulfur of which that place was full. The unkempt grey beard concealed some scars at the neck and chin.

His physique was statuesque, perfect. The mighty, dry musculature did not match that of a man of his age, it seemed that his body had never aged.

"That's why I stopped forging weapons for you human beings" he replied, in a melancholy tone.

Reidar and Karl approached Dag, to give him moral support, and at those words slowed down, frightened of what might happen.

"I know its story. It's called the Red Executioner and it was purposely forged for a hangman. My name is Dag and I come from Earth. My adoptive mother's name is Asa and she was Brann's wife, the warrior who sacrificed his own brother for the Soul Fusion" Dag continued, proving that he perfectly knew the details of the story.

"There's something strange about you. It is a power that I have never felt in any human being, not even in the warriors I have encountered all these years..." said Vegard, resting the metal ring near the anvil and walking toward Dag.

When Reidar saw the blacksmith approaching, he immediately pulled out the bow, but Dag nodded his hand, ordering him to put it back.

"I see that the Red Executioner is not my only creation that you own" Vegard continued, looking at Reidar's magic bow.

He was astonished by the blacksmith's words and taking courage, said: "We have taken this bow from bandits settled in a village on the coast. They were besieging a village of innocent peasants and had to be stopped. It is also thanks to this weapon that we were able to defeat the water elemental... did you forge it?"

"Hahaha... don't worry, boy, it's not for me to decide what is good and what is evil... I am only a humble servant of our great Allfather. Yes, I created it... that's the 'Failnaught', the infallible bow" Vegard chuckled.

Reidar could not believe his ears: the bow he had obtained was actually a legendary weapon, forged by a divine blacksmith.

"I wasn't trying to justify our actions. I just wanted you to understand that we're not evil. Our Captain is the kindest and most generous person on the planet and he's been dreaming of meeting you for a long time" Reidar continued, trying to pave the way for Dag.

Dag looked at his companion, appreciating the gesture.

"Why did you come here, then?" asked Vegard to Dag.

"Unlike Brann, who was a man who willing to sacrifice the lives of others to increase his power, I would like to use the potential of this weapon to do good. My goal is to gather the Clans in order to bring peace to Skjold" Dag replied, with determination.

"Then use it. I don't understand what this old blacksmith can do for you..." replied Vegard.