Continuing on the way, and still leaving his markers, Erik asks his loyal men to collect some wood, posts and branches from the surrounding area and lights a fire. "Finally" said Erik, "lets see who is braver" and without more words he took his bare arm and held it in the flame until the hairs singed and curled. Thangbrand plunged his arm into the fire until his hairs singed and curled, his nails blackened, and his skin began to blister and burn and then at last pulled his arm from the flame. It hung limp and useless, he fell down stiff as a post, fainting from the pain.