Bloodlines of the Ancient Pantheons

"What would be this 'goal' that your alliance would like to achieve?" Kjell continued.

"Peace. Battles like this will cease to exist, Master Kjell. The only wars we will fight will not be for our Clan, but for our race" Dag exclaimed, making his way among the warriors who had come close to thanking him and positioning himself next to Gridd, who looked at him satisfied. 

"Mmh... let's do this way, Master Dag: let's get out of here, get back to Skjegg. You will be our guests in the Rocky Crown dormitory, you will be assigned the best rooms at our disposal. You're going to rest and then we'll talk, I'd like to know more about this story" he continued, resting his hand on Dag's shoulder and continuing to walk in the direction of the harbor.

Dag did not respond, in a sign of confirmation.

After Kjell, Master Sander approached them, looking at Freydis.

"I'm glad you're alive, Freydis. I'm so sorry for what you've had to go through. I feel responsible for what these bastards did to you. If we Masters hadn't decided to send you here in a closed box, it probably would never have happened and your teammates would still be alive" he said, looking down, in a sorry voice.

"Thank you for your words, Master Sander, but... if the battle had not taken place today, it would still have come shortly and perhaps it would not have had the same outcome... perhaps this was the will of the Gods. Odin's been watching over us... for the first time in a long time, the Alfather, Thor, and Freya fought together. The victory was assured!" said Freydis, enthusiastic, and happy to have come out of her days in captivity. 

"I hope you're right, Freydis. In any case... your boy is one of the strongest warriors I've ever seen. He managed to defeat Oyvind, whose fame went far beyond the shores of this island. His name will echo between the seas and lands of Okstorm!" continued Sander, turning his joyful gaze to Dag, who reciprocated with a smile.

"Captain... it would be a shame to abandon the Brass Arrow on this island. Maybe it could weather the storm in those rocks... we could try to retrieve it and use it to get back to Gurn" Reidar said, approaching Dag and touching his shoulder, not hiding his happiness and gratitude toward him.

"Yes, if we hurry we can go back to that cave without running any further danger, but first... "I want to tell you something in confidence" Dag replied, extending his arms and inviting Gridd, Reidar, and Karl to form a tight circle.

When everyone was next to each other, Dag hugged them in an unexpected strong embrace.

"Thank you all... I'm not used to saying these lovey-dovey, you know, but... this time is different. I couldn't have done it without your help and... knowing that I have a team om which to rely on even when things get complicated is the best feeling in the world. Thank you very much, my friends, I mean it, really!" he exclaimed, continuing to shake his companions, who after making an incredulous face, reciprocated the embrace, showing Dag the affection that each of them desperately needed after those difficult hours, in which their lives had hung by a thread.

Freydis remained slightly on the sidelines, enjoying the scene, moved. 

After about thirty seconds, Dag separated from his companions, turned to her and grabbed her, holding her head-on, with her legs around hid waist and arms resting around her neck.

Without saying a word, the two lovers passionately kissed, forgetting for a moment about everything else.

"Here... yeah, guys, I think it's better if we head to the cave!" exclaimed Karl, in a tremendously embarrassed voice, as he saw his sister and his best friend frolicking. 

"Hahahah, Karl! Come on, you have Agnes waiting for you and I have Turid! Let our Captain enjoy the company of his woman after months away!" chuckled Reidar, happy to see Dag happy again. 

After the cheating and outburst of happiness, all five walked away from the battlefield, strewn with corpses, blood, and rubble.

They quickly made their way to the cave leading to the inlet where the boat was to be docked.

Going down the stone stairs, the adventurers dodged the corpses of the enemies lying upside down, and Freydis could not fail to notice the remains of brain matter on the walls next to them.

Once in the lower part of the cave, other corpses were strewn on the slippery floor, one of them totally charred, above a pile of sticks and shrubs that just before formed the base of the bonefire. 

"Pff... that stinks so bad! Was it really necessary to kill him like that, Dag?!" asked Karl, plugged his nose into the burnt human flesh stench.

After those words, Dag could hear a more or less constant sound of wood, as if something was slamming into rocks, realizing that the boat was still there, but that they would have to check its condition before leaving.

"Oh yes! There it is!" exclaimed Gridd, glad to find the vehicle that had weathered the storm and had managed to lead them there safely despite the weather.

"It didn't seem to have suffered any particular damage, you were able to frame it perfectly, Captain!" added Reidar, lowering and passing a hand along the metal edges of the Brass Arrow to check its status.

"Well, we were lucky... now help me put it back into the sea" Dag said, as Freydis continued to keep quiet, observing the scene and thinking about how Dag had managed alone to position the boat that way since four people could barely move it a few centimeters.

After about ten minutes, the friends finally managed to get back on their way to Gurn and leave the island. 

The sea, after the storm, had returned calm and flat as a table.

Without any difficulty and at a high speed, the Brass Arrow reached the other Clan boats and arrived simultaneously at Gurn Harbour.