Bloodlines of the Ancient Pantheons

When he arrived near one of the tables, the people seated around it began to get up, but he placed his hand on a man's shoulder, inviting him and his friends to sit back.

He placed the full mug on the table and, addressing all the people in the square, said: "Do you know what makes this mead so good?" 

The crowd in front of him looked at him confused, not answering that strange question.

"It's not the honey with which it was produced, nor is the spices floating inside it... what makes it so special is the fact that I'm drinking it with you. Its unique flavor comes from the spirit of sharing that unites us! Whether you're a Master, a farmer, a blacksmith, a carpenter... or even the King of all Vikings... never mind. We will all drink the same excellent mead, toasting and celebrating in the same way!" he exclaimed, raising his mug upwards and looking at it with hopeful eyes.

A few seconds of silence followed that speech, and Dag took a sip from his glass, then laid it on the table.

Soon after, under the incredulous gaze of Sander and all the others seated at the table near the ruins of the temple, every man, woman, and child in the square raised a glass upwards, moved by Dag's words.

He marveled at the hundreds of people who looked at him, hanging from his lips and with big smiles painted on their faces. 

He grabbed his half-full mug again and raised it forcefully upwards, dropping a few drops of mead on the table and screaming loudly: "Skäl!" 

"Skäl, Master Dag! Skäl!" 

The crowd screamed loud enough to shake the walls of the square and making the birds perched in the surrounding woods outside the walls fly away.

After Gridd, Karl, Reidar, and Freydis got up to participate in that toast, Sander, Kjell, and Ellen did the same, stunned by the impact Dag's speech had on all those people, who seemed to worship him like a God.

After about an hour spent chatting with citizens between their tables, Dag returned to his table and sat between Freydis and Gridd, who looked at him with lovely eyes.

Before the others could speak, Dag spoke: "I am sure that among all these people there are earthlings, like me. They would understand what I told you last time... knowing the Frostsinners as much as I do, they would share my desire to form the greatest army in history, in defense of the human race!" 

"I'm sure, Dag, but now calm down! Hahaha... one thing at a time, brother! Look what progresses you're making!" Gridd exclaimed, embracing him affectionately as Freydis continued to watch him, in love every second more.

"Your sister is perfectly right, Dag! When I was your age, I hadn't even become a Master... look at you instead... you're very successful! I'm sure your oratory skills will take you far!" Sander said, drinking yet another mug of mead in a sip, under the guise of toast.

Dag appreciated the compliments, but inside of him, he felt that it was still not enough: he was sure that the Xis were witnessing everything that was going on and that he could do nothing to prevent them.

"Until they consider me a threat, I will have time to shake the minds of people unaware of what happens every day on Earth... I will raise a revolt from below the surface, making sure that those bastards never know my real intentions. But the question is, how? It wouldn't be enough for all of Skjold's warriors to stop them, and I wouldn't even know how to start... it takes time, Dag, it takes more time" he thought, continuing to toast and passionately kiss his woman, sparking an ironic round of applause from Reidar and Karl, again drunk as the night before.

After that exaggerated banquet, in which half the city got drunk and ate, Dag and his companions returned to the dormitory, as well as the three Masters of the Crows Of Odin, with the knowledge that the next day they would have to begin preparations for the upcoming mission. 

... 

The next morning, Dag awoke next to his woman at dawn and without waking her, kissed her on the neck and got out of bed, tiptoeing out of the room.

As his friends continued to sleep, he went out of the dorm and made his way to the Masters's building, sure that, even by that time of the morning, some of them were already at work.

Just as he had imagined, Sander and Kjell were there, with a large scroll open on the table, arguing.

"Good morning, Dag!" 

"Good morning to you! What is this?" 

Approaching the table, Dag noticed that there was a very articulate drawing on the large parchment, similar to that of a boat.

"Is that what I think?" he asked, checking his intuition.

"Yes... last night, before we retreated to our quarters, two men stopped us in the street and handed us this scroll, telling us that it is an incredible project, to build the fastest and most resilient boat that the Skjold seas have ever seen" Sander said, continuing to look at the drawing.

"They were two brothers, whose name now escapes me and they were both carpenters. If I understood correctly, this should be a project that they have never realized due to its high cost of production. After hearing about the mission in Krypstorm, they thought this was the best chance to make it public" Kjell said, implementing Sander's speech, which was taken from that project, without really understanding any of those technicalities.

"Well! The citizens are excited, then! I'd suggest we can show it to Gurn's boatbuilders, including Frank. They will be able to tell us if we should build this boat or modify its design" Dag exclaimed, taking a look at the scroll.

The design depicted a large and imposing Dreki, with shapes similar to the 'Brass Arrow', but certainly less quiet and fast, considering its huge size.