385 CCCLXXXV. The Behavior Change (1/2)

Unpredictably, Kjell burst into tears and hugged Dag, who stood motionless and with his eyes wide open for a few seconds.

Even Gridd, who was helping him to stand, walked away from him, watching that singular scene.

Kjell continued to cry and hold Dag in his arms, resting his head on his shoulders, when he reciprocated the embrace, placing a single arm on his back and closing his eye, trying to share his pain.

”I'm a fool! I should have been in his place! He told me to listen to you, he told me I should trust you from the beginning, but I thought his was a weakness! Look what I've done! I killed dozens of warriors and also my best friend! I don't deserve to live, I will never reach Valhalla!” Kjell shouted, venting all his repressed frustration with Dag, who stood still listening.

Not immediately knowing what to answer, Dag moved Kjell slightly backward, interrupting the embrace.

The face of Crows of Odin's Master Of Offense expressed genuine remorse and displeasure and this time he seemed to have realized he had made the wrong choice.

Making a mental effort, Dag tried not to soften himself in front of that scene, showing everyone that he could have a cold and strong character when needed.

”If you hadn't involved your soldiers, now you'd be in his place. Not only did you break our pact and make it your own, but you also implicitly forced your Clan warriors to follow you. Master Sander was too good to leave you out there alone, he would stay with you at any cost... but you knew that too, didn't you, Kjell?” Dag said, resting his hand on his interlocutor's shoulder and passing by him, heading toward Sander's body, still lying on the ground and unconscious.

Kjell remained speechless and raised his eyebrows, continuing to cry and look to the floor, thinking back to the harsh and severe words of Dag, who despite his goodness and youthful naivety, was unwilling to forgive such a high loss of human lives.

Gridd, still in front of him, followed his brother, struck by his authoritarian and severe tone, through which he had used Kjell's sincere embrace to hurt him back, making him understand that his mistake was unforgivable and had led to those serious consequences.

”Egill...” Dag whispered, leaning down to the Master Of Healing and then sitting on the ground and emitting groans of pain, because of his sore legs.

A large hacksaw blade was resting on the ground next to him, also completely covered in blood.

”His leg would kill him in a few hours, I had to stop the infection. I was forced to cut it off...” he said in a low voice, his eyes fixed in the void.