Bloodlines of the Ancient Pantheons

As they walked, they noticed that the cave was the set of many large rooms joined by narrower corridors, repeating themselves from side to side.

As he tried to imagine the geological processes that led to the formation of such a particular karst structure, Dag heard a noise.

Without saying a word, he raised his hand upwards and all the soldiers behind him stopped, without giving a breath, attentive to his orders.

With his torch in his hand, Dag stepped forward, turning his head slightly so he could point his ear at yet another rocky corridor, after hearing the sound of an object falling to the ground on the other side.

"It could be a mouse or some animal that inhabits these caves" Gridd whispered in a very low voice, trying to give Dag another option and wishing he wouldn't have to face enemies in that dark place.

Dag, ordering his men to stand still in position, continued to advance alone, step by step, progressively illuminating the corridor, beyond which the noises had now ceased.

Since they had descended into the cave, they had traveled more than ten kilometers, taking about 4 hours, walking at a slow pace, to store their energies.

He tried to use this information to try to understand how much it was missing at the exit, being tired of moving without seeing anything. 

His senses, compared to a few days before, were even more developed and allowed him to perceive the body heat of other living beings in enclosed places such as the cave in which he had been walking for hours.

"Grrr.... grr..." 

Thalos began to growl, raising the hair behind his neck and pointing his head in the direction in front of them, immobilizing himself and showing the sharp canines.

Dag looked at him, then looked forward.

"There's someone down there, I feel it too, Thalos!" he thought as if he could communicate telepathically with his four-legged friend.

When he grabbed the Giantbane with his free hand, the soldiers behind him did the same, beginning to draw the weapons, as well as Gridd and the other Masters, ready to help him.

The Shieldmaiden, unnoticed, advanced slowly toward Dag, maintaining an appropriate safe distance.

Thalos continued to growl, standing still, while Dag continued to walk slowly forward, relying on his senses and the wolf's verses to understand how far he was from a surprise attack and trying to get ready.

...

"Don't move."

An incredibly low, inhuman voice echoed through the walls of the tunnel, scaring Dag and everyone else behind him, who in that terrifying silence would never have imagined hearing someone speak.

After recovering from the scare and as a great deal of adrenaline was being produced by his body, Dag responded to those words.

"Who is talking? Show yourself to me!" he said, in a determined tone, convinced that he could face any enemy that stood between him and the exit from the other side, especially now that he had more information about the axe and a goal to achieve.

"Don't step forward, or you and your men will die..." the baritone voice continued, followed by long, deep breaths.

Judging by his breathing, whoever was ahead of Dag seemed to be quiet and breathing at a slow, calm rhythm as if seeing all those armed soldiers didn't bother him in the slightest.

"Do you dare threaten me and my men without even showing us your face? Whoever you are, you're pathetic! I have no intention of slowing down our advance and it will certainly not be you who will prevent me!" Dag replied, fed up with feeling constantly under threat and aggressive towards that voice, who without even identifying himself with anyone had dared to threaten his soldiers' lives.

The warriors, when Dag answered like a true leader, took courage and approached the tunnel slightly, determined to help their Master against the imminent threat and looking around, making sure they did not suffer attacks from behind.

After Dag's words, there was no answer. 

Seconds later, he heard footsteps approaching in that direction.

As the enemy approached, walking in the darkness of the tunnel, his steps became heavier and heavier, until the slippery walls of rock began to shake and small fragments of them broke off, falling at the feet of terrified soldiers, who had initially taken courage, but were now retreating, rethinking their choices.

Dag came out of the tunnel, going back in his footsteps and calling Thalos to himself, who seemed to have no intention of moving from there, continuing to growl.

"Thalos, come away from there! It's dangerous! Move over, I'll handle this, need you to defend the soldiers!" Dag shouted, calling the wolf, who once again pretended not to hear his master's words.

Before Dag could repeat the call again, his torch illuminated a huge hand with claws, which coming out from the darkness of the tunnel, plunged on the poor wolf, that promptly jumped away, dodging the blow.

"Thalooos!" Dag screamed in panic, unable to tell if his wolf had managed to save himself.

The impact of the enormous hand on the ground raised a dense cloud of dust that spread to Dag and his companions, who, caught off guard, raised their arms to protect their eyes.

However, the gust of wind that accompanied the dust was particularly sharp, and many of the soldiers' torches went off, including those of Dag and Gridd, who were busy covering their faces.

When he noticed that his torch was no longer illuminating the tunnel in front of him and that darkness was pressing around his troops, Dag called Thalos again, fearing the worst.

Meanwhile, within a few moments, a soldier passed his torch to his Warchief and the others tried to revive those that had been extinguished by the sudden gust of wind.

Dag then pointed the torch forward, in the direction from which the huge hand had sprung with his claws, almost as wide as the entire tunnel, about one and a half meters wide.