282 CCLXXXII. Set Up A Team

Dag nodded his head, reflecting that, unintentionally, something was beginning to move among those Viking warriors, who were perhaps much more 'terrestrial' than he thought.

"Okay, all right, but... if you say that your powers come from those of this alien race, how could we ever stand up to them? I mean, look at you. Before, in the arena, if you wanted to, you'd have killed us all... how could we ever face beings even more powerful than you?!" Sander asked thoughtfully, as he touched his thick black beard.

"I don't know that. Many questions are floating in my head, I've been dragging them since I was a kid. I just know this is not only about me, it's about the whole human race. By joining forces in one great alliance, we will be able to find a solution".

Dag's hands began to tremble slightly with emotion: he had never seriously discussed that topic with anyone, especially with other Masters, who seemed to understand his point of view, trying to learn more, as if they were children who as sponges try to absorb all the information they have around them.

"Friends... my friends. I think Master Dag's speech needs to be investigated, but I would like to remind you that perhaps there are more pressing problems to solve! In the room on the ground floor, there is still that huge Jotunn's head, closed in a sack!" Ellen intervened, who with those words made everyone return with their feet on the ground, in the present.

"I haven't forgotten it for a second, Master Ellen. As we promised you, we will help you fight the new threat from the east. I just want you to keep thinking about my words... I'm willing to tell you everything I know about the Earth and my childhood memories when I was still living on my planet" Dag said, trying to win over Ellen's sympathy, which seemed more skeptical than her colleagues.

"Then, how are we going to do it? You are our Warchief now, right? Do you think we should ask for the help of your Clans too?" she asked again, heading to a shelf and extracting a large rolled-up scroll, which looked like an old map.

"You and Master Kjell have already been to the southern coast, you have already fought the Jotunn... you told me that deploying an entire army against them would be crazy because we would put a lot of lives at risk, is that right?" Dag asked, looking at both Kjell and Ellen, as she opened the map on the wooden table, stopping it with two mugs of mead at the corners.

"Those giants are endowed with frightful strength and stamina. Also, being so gigantic, they're able to face dozens of warriors at once, I saw it with my own eyes. To line up inexperienced soldiers would mean condemning them to death" Kjell said, looking at the map with his arms crossed.

"What do you propose then? Should we just go there?" Gridd said, approaching them.

"I believe that first of all, we should go and do another survey, to check in what conditions the other coastal villages are in. Before returning to Skjegg, we left some troops there, with the promise of returning to them soon. Our warriors will be able to tell us if they have spotted anything suspicious these days and with their help, we can come up with an effective defense plan" Ellen answered, who seemed to have carefully thought about their next move.

Dag, Gridd, and everyone else agreed on Ellen's plan, giving her availability to leave the next day.

At that very instant, the staircase leading downstairs emitted a squeak.

"Masters, if I may, I'd like to join the mission too" Freydis exclaimed, who barely stood on her weakened legs and entered the library.

Immediately Dag walked towards her, placing his arm around her neck and accompanying her to the table, to let her sit down.

"Freydis... how do you feel?" he asked, looking into her eyes, smiling and stroking her cheek.

"Please don't leave me here... I was trapped for a whole month, without the opportunity to participate in any mission. Let me come with you, I need to fight! Ouch!" Freydis continued, who as soon as she slightly raised the tone of her voice, felt a pain in her shoulder, near the wound that Dag had caused her.

"I can't risk losing you again... you'll see, we'll be done in just over a day. Freydis, I need you to be healthy when we will leave for our next trip!" Dag replied, trying to make her feel better, raising her mood.

"Perhaps your boy is right. Stay here and rest. Master Sander will keep you company, his wounds are not yet fully healed" Ellen interjected, smiling at her pupil and looking at Sander, who confirmed by nodding his head.

Freydis looked down, sadly, while her brother Karl also approached her, stroking her back and controlling her wound, slightly detaching the bandage from her neck.

Despite the almost miraculous effect of the ointments he had smeared on the part, the cut was so deep that the wound still bled.

Freydis made an expression of pain and her brother fixed her bandage back, helping her to get up from the chair and accompany her back to the infirmary.

Dag winked at her, hinting that after that meeting, he would join Freydis in his room.

She did not seem at all happy with their decision and with the sad look and aching body, she allowed herself to be helped by Karl, who one step at a time, led her downstairs.

"He had the strength to get out of bed after not even a day. Your girl is really badass!" Gridd exclaimed, surprised by Freydis' tenacity.

"Yes, she has always been like that, ever since we were kids" Dag said, smiling and continuing to look at her, as images of the first times they met appeared in his mind.