151 CLI. The Great Forge (1/2)

Despite being tired, the three companions picked up the pace, eager to discover the room at the end of the stairs.

After about twenty minutes, finally, the exit of the tunnel became visible: a warm and intense light came from the next room.

Dag turned to them and nodded with his hand, ordering them to remain silent.

He left the torch on the ground, to prevent Vegard from noticing them. Firstly he wanted to make sure he wasn't dangerous, he was always a man in contact with the Gods, after all.

Dag approached the entrance to the luminous room and was forced to cover his eyes for a few seconds before he could see, because of the darkness in which they had walked for hours.

A constant metallic noise rumbled into the huge room, the vault of which was tens of meters high.

In addition to that noise, there was another in the background: from some rocks at several meters high, liters and liters of dense magma fell into the lava pool, which matched the description provided by Asa.

In front of the lava fall, a man of sturdy build and medium height, gave Dag his back, striking with his hammer a piece of burning metal, on an anvil larger than a table, placed at the foot of the red-hot pool.

Dag took courage and entered the room boldly, without saying anything.

His companions followed him, looking around with their mouth open, trying to realize that they were not in a dream, while their captain slowly continued to walk.

”I wasn't expecting any visitors...” said Vegard, without even turning to them, as he continued to hammer on the anvil.

Dag took the metal ring of the elemental and threw it on the ground in front of him, under the astonished gaze of Reidar and Karl, who were still near the exit of the staircase, admiring the countless weapons hanging on the walls, which were identical to those of the legend.

The sound of the metal ring rumbled across the room, and when the blacksmith heard it, it stopped hitting the anvil, slightly turning his head toward Dag.

”I need your help, Vegard” exclaimed Dag, confident, even though he was intimidated.

The blacksmith laid down the hammer and turned to him, who had managed to get his attention.

”I had sealed the door for a reason. I haven't let anyone get in here in years. You managed to get past the guard of Aqueous, the water elemental” Vegard said, picking up the metal ring from the ground.

”I would have preferred to join you without a fight, but that was not possible” Dag continued, trying to make the blacksmith understand his good intentions.

As the blacksmith looked at the ring in his hands, Dag unhooked the Red Executioner's straps, holding it and showing it to Vegard, who sighed as soon as he recognized the axe.