The Battle Begins

'Well Toothless, looks like we're in the thick of it', Hiccup stated the situation grimly.

The Night Fury warbled back in agreement, sharing his Rider's discomfort at the scene before them.

The enemy armada could be seen as far as the eye could see, and it was already spitting forth fire and rock at their home. A house nearby erupted in flames, but neither Pride of Berk or Night Fury were fazed.

'Well I suppose that settles negotiations then', stated Astrid 'Fearless' Hofferson with a chuckle as she sat on Stormfly.

'Well I suppose it does', the Pride of Berk replied in deep thought.

He lingered for a moment as his girlfriend watched him, curious of what he had next to say. The war horns brought the couple out of their trance and spurred them into action.

'Astrid', he said slowly, facing his girlfriend. 'I've got to get to my position. . . . . .just. . . . . .just take care of yourself okay'.

The Hofferson smiled and pecked the Haddock on his lips.

'Hiccup. . . . .it's going to be okay', she said, her voice trembling with emotion. 'We'll come out of this together. . . . I promise'.

Hiccup could hear the doubt in her voice, and pulled her into a tight hug, which she returned with her own death grip.

'HICCUP! ASTRID!' bellowed Stoick the Vast. 'It's time, lets get a move on'.

The couple shared another kiss and hug and parted quickly, neither wanting to see the doubt or pain in the other's eyes. The Hofferson made her way to the left side of the cliff where her position was waiting. The Haddock made his way to the centre of the cliff that overlooked the harbour and took his place beside his Chief and Sire. Both Haddock's stood side by side, neither speaking for a moment.

'How you bearing up Son?' Stoick asked his Heir.

'Well Dad', his Heir replied as he shuffled awkwardly. 'We're about to fight a dangerous enemy who would love nothing more then to kill us all and use our heads as decorations for his lovely ships. So I suppose I'm bearing up fine. How about you?'

The Berkian Chief chuckled at his Heir's sarcasm. Nice to know the lad's still got his sense of humour at a time like this. He'll do good.

'I'm standing alongside my Hope and Heir, both of us ready for battle. We've faced Dragons, Outcasts and Berserkers in the past. We've managed to clash with one another even during times of peace. But it would seems that we always see eye to eye when it comes to the worst times. So I suppose things are going just great Son'.

Both Haddock's chuckled an awkward laugh.

'Well you can't keep me inside Dad', Hiccup responded eventually. 'Not after what their leader said and demanded'.

Stoick nodded in agreement, he had remembered the bloody demands their enemy had presented to them. Give me the Pride of Berk's head, and I might let some you live he had said.

'As if I'm going to sacrifice one head of my tribe, especially my Heir's', the Vast mumbled to himself. 'Just so he can go on to kill every other Berkian afterwards. Not happening on my watch'.

'We always seem to attract the crazy one's, don't we Dad?'

'Aye Son, we do, we do'.

The pair shared another moment of silence, then a war horn interrupted. The two looked at one another and nodded in mutual understanding. It was time.

'Son', the Chief of Berk said slowly. 'Good luck. . . . .okay. . . . .may Odin watch over you'.

'We're Vikings Dad', Hiccup replied with a smile. 'It's an occupational hazard'.

'I'm proud to call you my son'.

'Thanks Dad. . . .may Odin watch over you too'.

Without further words, the Heir and Hope of Berk left his Chief's side to take his place on the battle lines. Stoick watched as Hiccup ran to join Toothless. No pressure Son.

On the shores of Berk

'My lord, everything is ready to commence'.

His right hand man's voice brought Bachus out of his thoughts.

'Good to hear, Voran', he growled in return. 'We'll begin soon'.

He had been observing the island before him. He had mustered the entire military might of his empire, and he was going to bring it all right down on top of the Pride of Berk's head. And then I'll take his head, the Headtaker grinned with malice to himself. His forces consisted of over three thousand warriors, all cold blooded killers ready to burn, kill and pillage. In addition to his troops, he had marshalled a vast number of catapults, bastilles, battering rams and other sinister weapons.

'Those battering rams are going to be bloody useless here', the Skull Cleaver Chieftain grumbled to himself. 'Even if we used them on the doors of the Great Hall and the gate of the Arena, the steps and slope will make it impossible to batter them open with any effect'.

Apart from that little mishap, his strategy was flawless, he knew his army and fleet outnumbered the Berkian's four to one easily. He would overwhelm their defences at every point of the battle. Whilst he attacked with the main force head on from the Harbour, trusted lieutenants would take troops and attack from the Beach and hit Berk from the Forest, attack the Academy from the Sea Stacks, and the scale the cliff face and enter the building that stuck out from the rock underneath the main settlement. The pressure from being attacked from four fronts by overwhelming forces would be too much for the Berkians and their defences would crumble.

'And that's when the real fun begins', he grinned as he picked a freshly polished skull.

He sat back on his skull of thrones, once again watching his enemy above. He saw a young tall male Viking hug and kiss a blonde haired woman and watched as they parted.

'How romantic. . . . . . .it makes me want to throw up. Mind she is a looker, after this over maybe I'll keep that one alive, if she survives. I could always do with a pretty little wife'.

The Headtaker grinned to himself as his eyes followed her boyfriend's movement. Course your boyfriend will have to be killed so to make sure you're not a committed woman. His laughs stopped suddenly as the young male stood beside the person Bachus knew as Stoick the Vast. Then he realized it. His eyes shifted from one Viking to another. He saw the resemblance between the Chief and the young man standing beside him. A tall male Viking with reddish brown hair. A pretty blonde haired woman with an axe by her side. The skull in his hand shattered to pieces as the realization dawned upon him.

'THEY'RE THE PRIDE OF BERK AND FEARLESS HOFFERSON!' he roared in disbelief.

'WHERE? WHERE?' Voran barked in confusion.

'THAT COUPLE THAT WERE JUST SMOOCHING THEN! THE GUY AT STOCIK'S SIDE AND THE BLONDE WITH THE AXE! THEY'RE THE ONES WHO HAVE BEEN DEFYING ME AND MY MIGHT! VORAN! PASS THE WORD TO EVERYONE! I WANT THOSE TWO ALIVE! AND FREYA'S WRATH IF YOU CAN FIND HER! THEY'RE THE KIDS WHO HAVE WOUNDED MY PRIDE! THOSE ARE THE ONES I HAVE TO KILL MYSELF!'

'The girls too?' his second in command asked with a cocked eyebrow.

'Well I'll decide that when the time comes, but for now I'm definitely killing the Pride of Berk after this. A clear message needs to go out to those who dare to stand in my way and what happens when they fail'.

'Very good my lord'.

'Begin the attack'.

Voran bowed and walked away, Bachus sat down once again on his skull throne.

'And so it begins'.

On Berk mainland

'And so it begins', muttered Hiccup as he sat upon Toothless, watching as the enemy swarmed out of their boats like ants out of an ant nest.

If only they were bugs. He had remembered the meeting Stoick and he had had with the council the day before. The last couple of weeks had been used preparing Berk for battle and a possible siege. Given his deeds against their enemies in the past, as well as his logical thinking, it ha been decided that Hiccup would have the final say in deciding tactics. Protests had been made by Spitelout and the others, and Stoick had intervened, stating that younger Haddock was the best choice in the matter given his past record. Hiccup had not been as keen on the matter, but he knew that the fate of Berk was in jeopardy, and he kept his personal thoughts to himself.

Unlike his opposing general, whose whole battle plan relied entirely on numbers and brute force, Hiccup's strategy was more complex. Knowing he could not match his enemy in numbers or on full frontal attack, Hiccup knew he had to smart in deciding his tactics. He had ensured that the unarmed had evacuated to the Great Hall and the tunnels left by the Whispering Deaths two years ago. Barricades and trenches had been made to slow the enemy's advance and word had been sent by Terrible Terror Mail to Outcast Island, warning Alvin of the danger of the Skull Cleavers and asking for help.

He had divided his forces under capable leaders. Stoick and Skullcrusher managed the main infantry forces, they would manage the main defence. Gobber managed the artillery on the hills, whilst Merida was in charge of the archers. Knowing that the enemy would try to come at them at different points, Hiccup had assigned infantry and Dragon Riders to the woods, the Academy and the Dragon Stables. Astrid would defend the Stables. Snotlout took the woods and the Twins handled the Academy. He and Fishlegs would lead the main Dragon attack on the enemy fleet, where he could keep an eye on the whole battlefield. Their main purpose would be to destroy as many craft as possible and stopping as many of the enemy warriors from attacking Berk. The more destroyed here would ease the pressure on the main force. This was the strategy he would use to take down the Headtaker and save Berk from complete and utter destruction.

'Well Bud, looks like this it'.

Toothless warbled in agreement. Both of them together had overcome centuries of hatred and resentment between two completely different species in order to make peace between Vikings and Dragons, only for them to go to battle or war with other Dragons and Vikings. A terrible irony to say the least.

And now another terrible irony stood before them. Hiccup took his place near Fishlegs and Meatlug in front of the Dragon Riders ready to lead the charge against their attackers. The Haddock acknowledged the Ingerman with a nod and a sad smile, and leaned forward to scratch Toothless's head.

'Let's go Toothless', the Pride of Berk said to the Night Fury as he drew his sword. 'CHARGE!

The Dragons and their Riders leapt from the cliff and dived down to the Harbour ready to fire and destruction upon their bloodthirsty enemies.

'And so it begins'.

Hey guys and gals, a new chapter.

I've got a bunch of ideas for the next chapter. However, they are themes that are not allowed on a T rating. Since T rating don't allow death, excessive violence and bloodshed, I was wondering if I should lift the rating up to an M. I would like your opinions please. If you want to keep this story at an T rating though, I'll have to figure something else out to write. Until next time take care :) .