The Old Enemy
Almost six years had passed since the war with the dragons had ended. Berk now fully lived in peace with them. There had been some trying times, with other groups trying to learn the secrets to dragon riding as a means of warfare. But with the chief and the dragon academy, led by Ash Hofferson, they had prevailed and kept the peace and stability of Berk going. It was four months before the annual feast in celebration of Hicca's victory and disappearance. A joyous occasion for all, the whole tribe would gather to feast, drink, and honor their lost tribesman. But two individuals always felt only sorrow.
One individual was Ash Hofferson. Now 20 years old, he had grown up to be a strong man, and the epitome of a Viking. There was even talk that he would be chosen to be the next chief of the tribe. Standing at 6'1, he was the tallest among his friends, matched only by Fishlegs. His face had matured, leaving him with a firm strong chin and sporting stubble. He wore a red tunic with his metal shoulder pads from when he was a child. Draped over his shoulders was a light covered fur cape, clasped together in front with a circle of iron. On his arms, he wore fingerless fur gloves that extend up to just below the elbow. He had blue pants with spiked on running down the sides. He also wore light colored fur boots that came up to just below his knees. His blue eyes were always fierce and determined. His long blonde hair was braided and ran down the right side of his head over his shoulder. Ash had everything going for him in his life right now. He was the most skilled Viking of his generation, the head of the dragon academy, the best rider on the island, the dragon racing champion, and maybe even the next chief. But there was one thing Ash was lacking, which his parents had been subtly hinting at for years.
Like now for instance. Ash was currently in his parents' house eating breakfast with them. Although he had his own home now, he tried to drop by and share a meal with them every week. His parents were currently going on about how Ash had no one special in his life and how he and his peers would probably be getting married in a few years. Ash wasn't fully listening, not really caring about the subject.
"So I was thinking dear. Maybe you should let your father and I find you a woman," his mother said.
That got his attention. Plopping his spoonful of porridge back in the bowl he looked up and into the blue eyes of his mother. "That's ok mom. You really don't have to," he said politely.
"Come on now dear. You haven't got anyone in your life. And Ruffnut is really the only girl on the island, and I'm sure you've expressed you have no interest in her," his mother pressed.
"I just haven't found anybody mom. Besides, with our peace with the dragons it's not like its imperative I get married so soon. I've still got time," he argued.
"Yes dear, but you don't seem to be looking at all," his mother insisted.
Before Ash could retort, his father cut in. "Your mother is right son," his father said looking him in the eyes. "You're a man now. It's your duty to take a wife and start a family of your own. You have a responsibly to keep the Hofferson clan going," he said firmly.
Ash sighed. He knew his father had a point. His parents had already been married at his age. Now he was too old for them to form a marriage contract with another family. Plus he did have a duty to his family. Relenting he looked to both of his parents, "You're right," looking to his mother he said, "Mom. Why don't you start spreading the word to other villages that I'm looking for a wife. Then after the annual anniversary of our peace with the dragons, I'll start meeting with any potential candidates," he offered.
His mother clapped her hands together in excitement. "Oh I knew you'd come around dear. Leave it to your mom. I'll find you the perfect woman," she said with a wide smile.
Ash gave her a small smile back and continued with his porridge. They finished their breakfast in silence before Ash left to start his duties. It was his day for patrol, leaving Fishlegs to teach at the academy. Additionally he was also going to help with the fishing and hunting. Walking through the streets of Berk, he was followed closely by Stormfly. He walked with his head down as he thought about the conversation he had with his parents. Honestly Ash could have been married several times over by now. Wherever he went, women practically threw themselves at him. Being a skilled warrior, a dragon rider, and a potential candidate for chief made him quite the catch. Still, Ash always kept a polite indifference with the women he met. One reason being he didn't see the need to rush into a marriage. With their village at peace with the dragons and no longer under constant threat of a premature demise he didn't see the need. A lot of people agreed with him and his peers were also not expecting to marry anytime too soon. The other reason was Hicca. Over the years his feelings for the missing girl hadn't diminished. He knew that waiting for a person who may not even be alive was foolish. But he was afraid of finding someone, only for Hicca to suddenly reappear out of thin air.
"ASH!" came a shout from above pulling him from his thoughts. Out of the sky came Gustav Larson on his yellow and purple Monstrous Nightmare.
Noticing his panicked expression, Ash let him compose himself before speaking, "Gustav, what wrong?"
"I was out on my morning flight with Fanghook when I saw some ships in the distance, approaching Berk fast. There's about five of them and they look like their armed," he said in one breath.
Ash took in the information before coming up with a plan, "Ok Gustav, find the chief and tell him what you just told me. I'm gonna get the others and see what these guys want," he ordered. When Gustav nodded in confirmation and took off he mounted Stormfly and flew toward the academy.
Flying over the waters away from Berk, Ash held a determined expression on his face. His peers followed behind him on their dragons as they scanned the distance for the ships. With the small number of ships Gustav had reported, Ash deemed that only the original riders would be needed. There also no real evidence indicating that this company meant to attack.
Seeing the five ships in the distance he held up his hand to stop the riders. "Alright guys. I'm going to see what these guys want. You hang back and watch. If they start attacking, take them out, sink their ships, and let the current take them," he ordered.
"Right," came a collective response from the riders.
Picking up speed, Ash and Stormfly pulled ahead to meet the ships. Coming up in front of the lead ship and hovering, he kept just within shouting distance. Taking a breath, he prepared to address the ship's crew, "Attention unknown ships. You are trespassing within the waters of Berk. Drop anchor and state your business or we will attack with our dragons," he shouted in warning. He watched as the murmured amongst themselves and took in their ships. They were carrying catapults and the men were armed with crossbows. Definitely anti-dragon weapons. He looked at their sails and was surprised he couldn't make out the symbol. It wasn't familiar to him. Suddenly Stormfly gave a squawk in alarm before flapping her wings and gaining a few feet in altitude. Ash saw several crossbow bolts pass right through the area he and Stormfly had just been hovering in. Scowling, Ash looked down and saw the men loading the catapults and preparing to aim at him.
With a war cry Ash directed Stormfly to dive and start passing over the ships. Then he directed her to use her fire to take out the catapults first. Soon enough he heard the cries of the other riders as they joined in the assault.
Fishlegs and Meatlug began intercepting the rocks that the catapults launched and firing them back as lava blasts, rendering the catapults useless. Snotlout and Hookfang passed over the ships while setting fire to the sails. The twins started filling up one ship with their dragon's flammable gas. The crew of that ship jumped overboard as they knew what was coming next. Then Tuffnut ordered his dragon head ignite the gas, reducing the ship to splinters. After taking out some catapults, Ash had Stormfly use her fire on the deck of the ships. With her fire's heat rivalling the sun's, she burned holes in the ships, sinking them.
When only ship left afloat, Ash gave a signal for the riders to hang back. Directing Stormfly over the ship, she hovered and allowed Ash to drop down onto the ship's deck, equipped with his battle axe. The crew members drew their weapons and glared at him. Ash hung his axe over his shoulder casually before addressing them, "Last chance gentlemen. Surrender or this gets a lot uglier," he warned.
The men paused for a moment and glanced at each other. Then one charged at Ash with a war cry and slashed at him vertically. Ash stepped to the left and then slammed the butt of his axe between the man's eyes, rendering him unconscious. As another man came rushing at Ash with his spear at the ready Ash drew his hatchet from his belt and hurled it at the man. The hatchet's blade sunk into the man's right shoulder and blood leaked out from the wound soaking through his shirt. He immediately stopped his charge and screamed in pain. As the remaining two crew members prepared to charge at him Stormfly hurled spikes at them from the air. The spikes pierced their legs and arms and they fell to the ground. The spikes with their poison started to lock their muscles up.
Ash surveyed the deck, looking at the state of the men. He smiles to himself, satisfied that the men weren't in any condition to try and fight him. Suddenly a groan came from the man lying at his feet. He was starting to come around. Ash delivered a swift kick to the man's side, forcing him to roll over. Ash kneeled down and grabbed the man by his tunic, pulling him up to eye level. He swung his right hand across the man's jaw, making sure not to knock him out again.
"Why were you headed to Berk? What do you have against us?" he demanded.
The man sneered at him. "We came for the chief's head. This is only the beginning," he said evilly.
"Who sent you?" Ash said through gritted teeth.
"Siver. It was Siver the Scarred," the man said. With that, the man quickly popped something into his mouth and swallowed before Ash could react. Then he started to spasm violently. Ash dropped the man and stepped back. The man started to foam at the mouth before his eyes rolled to the back of his head and with a final gasp he died.
Ash cursed silently before looking to the other men. They were all dead, the foam at their mouth evidence that they had perished the same way as their crewmate had. With another curse, he whistled for Stormfly. His dragon landed on the deck of the ship and crouched for him to get on. He mounted and joined his friend in the sky.
"What happened man?" Snotlout asked.
"They poisoned themselves," Ash answered.
"What were they after?" asked Fishlegs nervously.
"The chief's head apparently. Let's get back to Berk and report to the Stoick," he orders before directing Stormfly back to Berk.
They flew back in silence as Ash processed what had happened. Whoever this supposed leader was, Ash had never heard of him. But he knew this man was dangerous. Or foolish. No one picked a fight with Berk anymore, not with their dragons.
With the leader still out there, Ash knew that this wasn't the end.
Stoick the Vast paced the great hall, muttering to himself lowly with his hands balled in fists at his sides. Ash had told him what one of the men had said and it sparked a rage inside him at the name of the company's leader. "Are you sure he said Siver lad?" he asked for the third time.
Ash stood with him arms crossed as he watched his chief. He hadn't seen him this riled up before. "Yes chief, Siver the Scarred. I'm sure of it," he responded firmly. As the chief went back to pacing he caught pieces of what he was saying. Curious he decided to ask, "Who is this Siver anyway? I've never heard of him."
Before the chief could speak, Gobber, who had been silent the entire time cut in, "He's bad news. He was an enemy of the tribe since before your time lad." Gobber paused to take a drink from his mug hand attachment. He then rubbed his forehead in exasperation.
"So what does he have against Berk? Why is he after Chief Stoick?" he asked. "You think he wants our dragons?" he added. That's what most people who came up against the Hooligans were after. Both the Outcasts and the Berserkers had wanted to learn the secrets to training and riding them.
"No," Gobber answered. "Siver and the chief's feud goes way back. Their families have been going at it since the time of their grandfathers," he continued. "He used to go by Siver the Scarrer. Him and the chief had a reckoning a few decades ago," pausing he turned to Stoick and raised an eyebrow. "I thought you killed him Stoick."
"I thought I had. In our final battle I wounded him gravely. Before I could finish him off he ran like a coward. I tried going after him, but dragons who had been drawn by the scent of blood came. I was forced to defend myself and he got away. I assumed he died from his wounds. Obviously I was wrong," he explained with a scowl.
Ash frowned at hearing the story. What kind of Viking ran from a fight? It was an honor to die in battle. Defeat at the hands of a worthy opponent was a death every Viking dreamed of. Obviously this man was a coward.
"He wants to end my bloodline. As the last of the Haddocks," the chief paused as his face fell. His heart clenched at having basically said his daughter was gone. Shaking himself from his thoughts, he continued, "As the last of the Haddocks, he'll be determined to take my head," he finished.
"Let him come," said Spitelout. "We'll rain fire down from the skies," he said puffing out his chest.
"Siver is a coward. He won't reveal himself, not after the last time we fought," the chief said lowly. Turning to Ash he issued orders, "Start spreading word to the other tribes. Tell him that Siver is back and that I'm looking for him with any luck one of our allies will hear word of his location. I want double patrols. This isn't the end of this," he said darkly.
At his orders Ash nodded in confirmation before running out of the room. He made a beeline for the academy. This was serious news. At the worst, war was on the horizon. He steeled himself. He would face it. He would rise to the challenge. He would defend him home, his family, his friends, and their way of life.
NEW CHAPTER. Hoped you liked it. Anyway at the concern of a guest reveiewer i edited the last chapter. Nothing major just Hicca is now 5'6 instead of five four. In my head female Hicca would be even shorter than male Hiccup. Plus i thought making her shorter would mean she would be more underestimated. Then it would be all the more surprising when she kicks your ass.