376 CCCLXXVI. The Iron Scales

After the parry, a cloud of that celestial dust freed itself from the enemy's body and entered his hammer, charging its stone head.

The same thing happened when the hammer hit its target.

"It's the level 9 skill! It's Memory Of Mjöllnir!" Dag thought, realizing that the pain he had felt just before in his lower back must have been the symbol of the skill that was being etched on his skin. 

Trying to stay as still as possible and not making abrupt or dodgy movements, Dag continued to parry and counter-attack the wolves, helping himself with the four dark arms, squirming around him, behind and in front, protecting him at 365 degrees.

Despite Gridd and Kjell's tenacity and Dag's attention, many wolves arrived towards Sander, who was stationary in the same position, with his shield tucked into the ground behind him.

As they saw the scene, the soldiers behind Egill's barrier began to tremble, ready to face the enemies that kept coming numerous.

Two werewolves jumped towards the Master Of Offense, biting him on the shoulder and leg, but he did not move an inch.

The teeth of the beast-men crawled on the scaled skin of the huge bearded warrior, scratching and emitting small sparks, consuming at the tips.

Before other wolves tried to attack him, he grabbed with his bare hands the enemy's head on his shoulder and, after forcibly detaching it, placed his hands inside his mouth, clinging to his jaws and clutching them.

The wolf, unable to touch the ground with his legs, began to squirm, trying unnecessarily to free himself from the grip, but Sander, spreading his huge arms tore away the lower jaw of his enemy, splitting his mouth into two parts and shattering his trachea, throwing him to the ground with his face completely disfigured and lifeless.

He also took the second wolf by the ears, detaching him out of his leg and kicked him in the stomach, causing him to spit blood.

Before he could also give him the coup de grace, two more came, who jumped on him and tried to immobilize him.

He squirmed back and forth when another large werewolf charged at him, hitting him in the abdomen and throwing him to the ground.

"Nooo! Master Sander!" Freydis yelled, who from behind the barrier was witnessing that horrific scene, during which her Master Of Defense was mauled by a pack of ravenous wolves, who insisted with their powerful claws, began to flay the iron scales of his skin, causing him much pain and preventing him from rising.

As soon as he noticed the emergency situation, Karl cast a healing spell at him and as soon as the green aura enveloped him, he managed to get up again, grabbing two wolves by the neck and slamming their heads against each other, until the two skulls broke like two coconuts on a rock.

The wolves continued to attack relentlessly, and soon the energies of the three valiant Masters were scarce, as did their breath, which became increasingly heavy and intermittent. 

Dag continued to parry numerous blows and hit enemies, sometimes missing them, due to fatigue.

Every dodged or unmarked attack caused his hammer to lose power, which released it in the form of that celestial dust, so it was necessary to continue fighting to finish the charging process.

"Master Sander!" 

Freydis's voice behind the barrier caught the attention of Dag, who, after killing yet another enemy, turned to look at her.

Sander was back on the ground and a dozen werewolves tried to tear his limbs off, partially penetrating the iron scales of his skin, sticking his flesh with their razor-sharp canines.

"Aaargh! Umpf!" 

His screams turned into deep verses, with which he tried to force himself up and get up with a stroke of kidneys, while the enemies tried to hold him still on the ground, with their huge hands clad and their jaws ready to tear off pieces of flesh.

Dag knew that if he ran towards him, he would lose almost all the energy he had accumulated up to that point, which was perhaps the only way to get rid of that large number of enemies.

"Egill! Help him! Master Sander is going to die! Turn off the barrier! Kjell, Gridd!" 

In a desperate cry, Dag warned of the danger to all his Masters teammates, who turned to poor Sander, noting that he was running out of strength, having been disarmed.

Kjell was the first to try to run towards his colleague, while a strong fear pervaded his body as he saw him near death: the strong and mighty Sander, Master of Defense of the Crows Of Odin, who had been his and Ellen's mentor, lately become Masters.

Known for his incredible physical skills, he gained his fame by fighting against all kinds of opponents, even outnumbered, always managing to get by and win the favor of the people.

A warrior without enemies, always friendly and kind, who as a goal in his life had always had to put the interests of others first, protecting the weak and the innocent and putting his life at risk for causes greater than himself.

The breath of that same warrior, in those seconds of glacial cold, became weaker and his body began to let go, sinking into the snow, weighed down by the transformation due to 'Steel Giant', his personal ability, very similar to that of Magni for its effect.

"Sander! Hold on, my friend! Sandeeer!" Kjell shouted, who was still several hundred yards away, dragging his fiery chains, killing one enemy after another with incredible ease and nastiness in his eyes.

Master Egill, from behind the barrier, continued to keep his hands steady on the staff, with the aim of keeping the barrier stationary in its place, in order to prevent the advance of beastly enemies if they managed to overcome the four Masters on the front line.