Bloodlines of the Ancient Pantheons

Chapter 260: CCLX. The Catapult

"You have proved to be a strong and valiant warrior, with fair principles. I congratulate you, Dag. I am proud that such a young man with broad views is the Warchief of our union!" Sander said, resting his hand on his shoulder, congratulating him as his companions also approached them toward the center of the Arena.

Freydis hugged him and he closed his eyes, smiling and enjoying the moment.

Gridd, Reidar, and Karl looked at him with pride, sure he would make it. 

As the festivities began in the arena and wagons with drinks and food of all kinds entered the square, Dag's gaze fell on Sivert, who had remained behind the altar, merely smiling at him.

The shaman did not seem astonished at all and this led to Dag's infer that perhaps, what he had said just before, was true: he had really witnessed the battle on the Island, perhaps not with his own eyes, but using those of someone else, or he had already seen powers similar to his one, but this was definitely the most unlikely justification for that mocking smile painted on the white-painted face of the old man.

"Hey, you! You're going to have plenty of time to talk to your girlfriend and friends... tell me, how did you find out you had similar powers? Did you have to train a lot to make them so effective?" Ellen asked, intrigued by Dag's humble personality.

When they all finished chatting, a merchant who had positioned himself with his mead wagon near the square walls, caught Sander's attention, nodding his hand at him, inviting him and the other Masters to join them to drink and celebrate.

Gridd returned Dag's belt with his weapons, and he tied it around his waist.

Soon after, the two of them followed Sander and the others to the citizens of Skjegg, who were looking forward to meeting them, but just before reaching them, Dag stopped.

"What's going on with you, brother?" Gridd asked, chuckling. 

"Captain?" Reidar said, noting Dag's gaze, staring down.

*boom*

A loud rumble came from afar and spread to the Altar of the Raven Square.

"What was that?" Gridd asked again, turning to the noise, which certainly came from outside the walls of the arena.

The crowd of citizens blocked the festivities and people began to talk anxiously to each other, trying to understand what was going on, while Dag squinted, concentrating.

*boom*

A new noise, this time closer than before, made the citizens shudder, who began to be seriously frightened.

A flock of birds soared and crossed the sky over their heads, moving away frightened from the city.

Sander turned to the entrance of the square and pulled out his axe, while Kjell and Ellen looked at Dag, who suddenly looked up.

"Go away, everybody! Get away from the square! We're under attack! Quick, get out, that way!" suddenly Dag yelled, running towards the frightened people, who began to run aimlessly at those words, huddled towards the exit.

Dag, waving his arms in the air, urged every person in the arena to leave, under the incredulous gaze of Sander, who approached him.

"What's going on? Who's attacking us?!" he asked, unnerved that someone might have ruined that beautiful moment.

Just after Sander's question, something hit the ground next to them, making a big noise and raising a lot of dust, as the citizens of Skjegg continued to flee in terror.

*cough*

When the dust became less dense, they all could see what it was: the corpse of one of the city guards was stuck in the ground, lifeless and with almost all broken bones, while his blood gushed from his cut throat and mouth.

"Aaaaaagh!" yelled a young woman who witnessed the scene, while one of the merchants grabbed her by the arm, put her in his wagon, and hurriedly headed away from the square. 

"What... who..." Ellen said, getting closer to the corpse to identify him.

*boom*

Another loud roar was followed by a second slain warrior, who, like the first, fell as a meteorite in the center of the Arena.

Within seconds, a hail of allied warriors fell on Dag and the others, falling one by one after a parable trajectory that departed from outside the walls of the great circular square.

"What the fuck is going on?! Can anyone explain it to me?!" Karl yelled, pulling out his weapons and beginning to shake like a leaf, looking around.

Kjell continued to watch Dag, waiting for him to speak.

Another Clan soldier was thrown above the walls of the square and fell to the ground, forcing Dag to dodge him, while his eyes were fixed in one direction and his breathing was constant as if trying to keep his composure to make the most of his developed senses.

"So what?! Who's there?!" Sander replied, who, tired of standing still and watching his men die one after the other, began to run to the street whose corner connected the square to the rest of the city district.

"They're back..." Dag said in a low voice, slowly resting his hands on the handles of his weapons, ready to detach them from the magnets.

Immediately after those words, before the others could ask who he was referring to, a giant shadow covered the Sun on their heads, jumping tens of meters high toward them.

"Fuck, fuck! Get out of there!" 

"Dag, get out of there!" 

Gridd and Freydis screamed at him, quickly retreating, as the shadow on the ground grew smaller and smaller, defining the impact zone, which corresponded to Dag's position.

Sander, Kjell, and Ellen followed Gridd, Freydis, Reidar, and Karl near the temple ruins, pulling out their weapons and preparing to fight that shadow, whatever it was.

Seconds before the impact, Dag, who had never looked away from the free-falling figure, could hear an inhumane verse, a mixture of a scream and a bleat. 

Immediately he took a backward dash, letting the huge being impact on the ground a few feet in front of him.

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