Back with a new story. And with new, I mean, a whole lot different then my usual repertoire. This story will have a dark and more mature edge to it, as you'll read in the following prologue. However, I'll consider this story more as a side-project, while I work on 'Dragon Rider's Journey'. So I hope you'll enjoy it and please review.

"Tell us what we need to know, Captain, and you'll get your reward." The hooded man rasped. Said captain, about the size and weight of a small Gronckle, was dangling a few inches of his deck, the clawed appendages of the the thin hooded man's hand dug into his thick neck.

"W-why should I t-tell you anything, M-monster?" whimpered the fat captain. "You butchered my crew the moment you stepped on deck."

A chuckle crept out the man's throat as he glanced over his shoulders, where two other hooded men were minding their own business. One was watching the other, who was hunched over one dead body, repeatedly stabbing him, madly cackling while he did.

"Yesss, but you still can get a reward." The man hissed. "A reward suitable for your services."

"Y-you won't kill me?" the captain asked.

"Tell us ...what we need ...to know..." the hooded man repeated.

The captain licked his lips, his eyes darting back and forward. "I ...I don't know."

The man brought the captain closer to his hooded face. "You. Know. Tell. Me." he whispered.

Those eyes. Those yellow eyes. Piercing. Hurting. The captain felt ….weak. He felt words creeping from his mouth, not knowing if he really wanted to say them.

"There is ...an island ...in the Archipelago . Twelve days north from an area, roughly translated, called "Hopeless" and a few degrees south of "Freezing to Death"." The Captain began, voice monotonous and low. "the entire area is inhabited by Vikings and Dragons."

The hooded man growled softly and tightened his grip around the captains throat. "This we know."

"U-usually the Dragons and Vikings just fight each other. Has been like this for 300 or so years." The Captain stuttered. "B-but ..but there is talk ...among the Traders, that there is an island where the Vikings and Dragons ...don't fight anymore."

The cackling man stopped stabbing and moved his shoulders in excitement. "Good, good, good start." he whispered in the ear of the dead man.

The man gulped and continued. "They say the Chief's son did it. Made a dragon his pet. Killed the big dragon that controlled the nest." he said, a bit more confidence in his voice. "I don't know everything. Only the Trader called Johan dares to go into the Archipelago."

"Name ...the ...island." the Hooded man whispered eerily.

"Berk." the captain finished.

A smile crept on the man's face. "Your services were ...invaluable to us." With that said, he began to squeeze the man's throat shut."

The man went pale and clawed his fingers into the attackers hand, fruitlessly trying to free himself. "You said ...you said."

"I said I'd give you a reward suitable to your services." the man said. "There is no greater reward than the honor I'll bestow onto you. You'll feed us." With a flick of his wrist the hooded man broke the captain's neck. The body went limb and after a few twitches ...went still.

A mad cackle showed the approval of one of the remaining men.

Their leader turned to the others. "Give the rest to the sea." he announced, stepping forward, still lifting the dead captain in the air. "This one ..."

He threw the man to the deck, who landed with a squished thud. "On this one we'll feast."

REVIEW PLEASE!