396 CCCXCVI. The Groan (2/2)

Besides, Dag knew that walking through a tunnel with torches, they were certainly visible to anyone on the other side, who would catch a glimpse of the lights.

The deep breaths became short and frequent until they turned into groans of pain.

At one point, Dag smelled blood and stopped, blocking his sister Gridd and ordering her to stay in her position without moving.

When he was sure that Gridd understood, he proceeded alone for a few more meters, and his torch, on the ground before his eyes, lit up a foot resting in a pool of blood.

For a second, Dag felt a strong terror, not being ready to actually meet someone in that wild and crumbling place.

Unwittingly, seized by his strong survival instincts, he pointed forward his Giantbane, ready to eliminate any threat.

”Hey! Hey, you! Who's there?!” the Warchief exclaimed, realizing that it was a man, but failing to realize what he was doing.

*cough*urrgh*

Dag took two more steps forward, and the torchlight illuminated the rest of his body, making him discover that the man was slumped over the ground, his head resting on the wall and a hand still on his chest, covering a deep bleeding wound.

”What's going on?! And who are you?!” Gridd asked, approaching cautiously and always standing behind Dag, who had the weapon pointed at the man, even though he seemed unable to move.

The stranger, in his thirties, was wearing particular robes, very different from the warriors that Dag and Gridd were used to seeing.

His feet were bare, uncovered, despite the cold, as well as his legs, not covered with pants, but by a kind of skirt that reached up to the knees.

Even his chest was devoid of clothes or armor, with a huge tattoo in the middle of it, impossible to decipher, being completely covered in blood.

On his face, blue facial paints surrounded his eyes and ears, dripping down his neck due to other blood coming from wounds on his forehead, under the short, grayish hair.

”Argh... uhmpf...”

The man continued to make verses of effort, trying to move backward with one arm and resting his torso on the wall, as if he wanted to try to respond to Dag and Gridd, not intimidated by their presence.

Dag approached him and pointed the Giantbane at his neck: ”She asked you a question! What is it, have you lost your tongue?”