Bloodlines of the Ancient Pantheons

Chapter 489: CDLXXXIX. No Risk

"Those lives will not be wasted unnecessarily, because there will be some of Tungvek's best warriors in that team and the wolves will not be able to risk creating chaos, because all their leaders will be gathered in their main base of operations. Think about it" Dag replied, whose mind was able to calculate the enemies' moves in advance even though he did not know much about them.

"The best warriors? Is that why you brought us back, Commander? To throw us to those ravenous wolves?! They know our faces very well, they will never let us get close to their leaders, it's madness!" Atran said aloud, looking with genuinely worried eyes at Kranus, who for a few seconds did not find the right words to express what he was feeling.

"No one will be sacrificed unnecessarily. You have been called because your men will protect Tungvek along with the other guards and recruits of the arena, making the capital your only base of operations, unassailable, if not by real armies. I myself will come with you, to represent the neutral part between the two Clans... as a kind of guarantor of your agreement..." Dag exclaimed, anticipating the ice mage.

"What?!" Freydis whispered frightenedly, discovering what her man really had in mind and looking at him with a terrified expression.

Dag put a hand on her leg, making her realize that after that meeting they would talk about it calmly and that at that moment she would have to keep her nerve.

"That's not gonna happen, Dag. You will stay here in Tungvek and continue to train our most inexperienced warriors with your woman, preparing them for a possible fight" Kranus said, who disagreed with his proposal, cheering Freydis's heart as it continued to beat hard in her chest.

"Wrage and Gunnar will be perfectly able to continue without my help after I have given them directions on how to do it. It is nothing difficult, they just have to correct some attitudes of the recruits, who, being inexperienced, tend not to worry about their safety and to attack with their eyes closed. You necessarily need a person who is not part of your two Clans for the mission to succeed. If I really am the chosen one who will fulfill the prophecy, the Gods will protect me" Dag continued, defying the will of the ice giant leader and leaving Kron and Atran speechless.

"If you go, I will come too" he replied.

"Commander! I'm sorry if I intervene, but... given the recent clashes between us and the Claws Of Fenrir, I don't think it's appropriate for you to expose yourself to such a risk! Surely the warriors who protect their main base are not amateurs and could attack us at any time! I volunteer, I will accompany the young Dag and I will bring with me other reliable men" Atran said, trying to dissuade Kranus, who was not willing to let Dag go without him.

"He is too important and I cannot risk a relic as strong as the Crystal of Fire falling into the wrong hands, it would be the end of everything. I already know that if I asked Dag to leave his weapon here, he would refuse, so I will join the mission and fight to the death if necessary. I'm sick of sitting here planning missions and moving troops, using the lives of others in the service of my Clan. Dag's right... if we are destined to fulfill the prophecy, the Gods will watch over us and nothing bad will happen" Commander Kranus exclaimed, rising from his chair and looking all his guests in the eye, from top to bottom.

"As you wish, Commander!" Atran replied, bowing his head, followed by Kron, who continued to remain silent, thoughtful.

Compared to the hatred that had ensnared from the very first moment with Gunnar during their first meeting, this time Dag noted that the two Outposts' warriors were much quieter and more reasonable, despite their rude appearance and the fact that they had been exposed to the enormous dangers outside the city's secure walls for a long time.

Kron, in particular, always tried not to speak out of turn and not to contradict his commander, a bit as Wrage did. 

But unlike the Shield Master, he seemed more cunning and intelligent, as well as loyal to his Clan and the cause that at that time needed all hands on deck.

"So? What are we waiting for? We can create a group and decide when to leave! We can leave tomorrow, the sooner we do it, the better!" Dag exclaimed, impatiently, resting his hands on the table and moving his shoulders forward, making everyone understand that his intentions were serious.

"I think all five of us should go. Exactly the ones that are in this room right now" Kron added, sitting in his chair with his arms crossed.

"I accept, I'm ready" Freydis replied, leaving everyone surprised and creating a few seconds of awkward silence because, in that room, no woman had ever attended such important meetings.

Dag looked at his woman and grabbed her hand, smiling at her and then looking again at Kranus. 

Inside him, he knew that leaving her alone in Tungvek would not be a wise thing to do and perhaps she would be in danger even more.

He promised her that if they fled together, they would never be separated again and he intended not to break the promise, bringing with him both Freydis and Thalos, who despite the heated discussion, slept lying on the ground, near his feet.

"I think it's a good setup, yes. All right, the five of us are leaving for the diplomatic mission. I think this is the ideal moment to do it, because the leaders of Claws Of Fenrir will never walk away from their base, so they'll be forced to listen to what we have to say" Kranus said, suggesting Dag and the others to choose a day to leave.