A/N: I have finally sketched out a rough outline for the full story. It looks like it might make sense to break it up into four parts. I could keep it as one, but I think it is easier on readers to not allow it to get too long. There would be four parts with about 25 chapters each. Here is what I'm thinking as far as the expansions go:

Part 1: Icestorm Island - Battle for the Edge
Part 2: Return to Dragon Island - Rise of Stormheart
Part 3: Wrath of Stormheart - Curse of the Hobbgobbler
Part 4: original content

Let me know if you have any thoughts or suggestions!

"This is the last time
That I'm ever gonna give in tonight
Are there angels or devils crawling here?
I just want to know what blurs and what is clear to see

Well, I can see the pain in you
And I can see the love in you
And fighting all the demons will take time
It will take time"

- "Angels or Devils" by Dishwalla

Chapter 13

It did not take long for Heather to make good on her promise to help out. Astrid met me after her morning patrol and told me Heather needed my help on Glacier Island. She was not sure about the details, but she said she would send the Prickleboggle as backup just in case. That sure was a handy dragon to have around.

I found Heather on the far side of the island standing next to Windshear in her dragon rider outfit. I landed next to her and offered her a friendly greeting.

"Hey, Brennda," she said. "I was wracking my brain to find any advantages we could hold over the dragon hunters, and I remembered my book of notes. It held a lot of insight on the dragon hunter defenses and ways, and I just can't find it! So, I thought maybe I dropped it on this island. That's when I found out that we have another problem on our hands. Do you remember the Snow Wraith?"

"Oh yeah, I remember," I said. That dragon had nearly gotten us all killed when the dragon hunters were after him. And Hiccup had almost hurt Heather. If I hadn't intervened... I pushed the thoughts back. I had to focus on the present.

"Well, he's in trouble. I'll show you what I mean. I'll lead you to his home."

I followed her on foot to a cave nearly concealed by the snow. I could see not immediately see the Snow Wraith, but I did notice a bunch of footprints everywhere. "Speed Stingers?"

Heather nodded. "Judging by the patterns, it looks like there was a vicious fight here, doesn't it?"

"I'd say. So, you think the Snow Wraith was injured?"

"I hope not. I know that he's tried to attack us in the past, but it was in his nature to protect his territory. I don't hold it against him! Will you check out the cave and see if he's okay?"

To be honest, I was not thrilled by the idea, but Heather did have a point. It was our duty to look after the dragons here. I turned to Bolt. "Stay here, alright?" It would be safer if he were with me, but I did not want to risk scaring the Snow Wraith and having him turn aggressive.

I carefully entered the cave and looked around. A minute later, I returned to Heather. "He's not here. Do you want to go look for him?"

"We probably should," Heather said. "This might be really difficult since the Snow Wraith uses camouflage to blend in with the surroundings. He'll be really hard to spot."

"Then this will be good training." We mounted out dragons and took off.

We must have searched every inch of the island before we found him. Actually, we spotted Heather's book first since it stood out in the snow. Beside it lay an injured Snow Wraith. Luckily, the Prickleboggle showed up just then.

"Of course we'd find the Snow Wraith and my book in the same place," Heather said. "Just my luck..."

"At least the Prickleboggle looks ready to help," I said as I strolled over to him. He appeared happy to see me. I smiled and rubbed his head before climbing onto this back.

"We don't want to spook the Snow Wraith with any more people than necessary," said Heather. "After all, wounded animals don't tend to do well being approached. I'll stay out here while you go in and shoot the Snow Wraith with the Prickleboggle's healing shot, but remember not to get too close!"

I nodded. "I've got it!" I urged the Prickleboggle forward at a slow pace. We stopped when I thought we were close enough, and my dragon friend shot the Snow Wraith with his healing fire. Within second, the big white dragon appeared to perk up. I smiled in relief.

And now the matter of Heather's book. I carefully slid off the Prickleboggle's bag and took small steps towards the object. The Snow Wraith kept his eyes on my but did not move as I picked up the book and then started back to Heather.

"Thank you!" she said when I handed it to her. "I wouldn't have gotten this back without you and the Prickleboggle. I'll read it again and see if there are any hints inside that would help us fight the dragon hunters."

"Sounds good to me!"

"It was really hard to find the Snow Wraith because it has a special color on its skin to blend in with the environment. This is called camouflage. The Snow Wraith uses it to sneak up on prey and hide from predators. Can we do something like that to help base defenses at Dragon's Edge?"

"Maybe. Let's go talk to Hiccup and see what he thinks!"

So, it was back to Dragon's Edge. I noticed that Harald's boat was gone, so he must have gone sailing again. Oh well. I would have to introduce him to my roommate some other time. If I still thought that was a good idea.

Hiccup approved of our camouflage plan. He thought it would be great if we could conceal out catapults so the dragon hunters wouldn't see them coming. Heather and I collected tree branches at Hobblegrunt Island to hide them. We gave the foliage to Ruffnut, who quickly executed on our plan. Heather and I flew out to the bay to examine her work.

"Looks pretty good," I said.

"I agree," said Heather. "Ruffnut did a great job installing the camouflage. You can see through the camouflage up close, but I couldn't see the catapult from the water. Invading dragon hunters won't even know what hit them once these catapults start firing from nowhere. It's going to be great!"

I grinned. "Awesome!"

"It's nice to be on the base with Astrid and the gang. I feel like Windshear and I need to be out here, making a difference with the gang..." A look of regret crossed her face, and I offered her a sympathetic smile.

"You're always welcome here, but don't think you're abandoning everyone. You work at the school is important too."

"I know. I love exploring science as the alchemist of the school, but I figure I can continue pursuing that out here. I just need to figure out where I need to be."

"I'm sure you will."

She finally smiled at me. "Thank you, Brennda."

I stared intently at the chess board as I pondered my next move. I had brought the game back with me after my visit to the school because I was excited to have a new victim - I mean, opponent. In the past, I beat all of my friends multiple times over. The only person I had almost lost to was Hiccup. But now Harald was causing me to thinking harder than I ever had since I played against my dad.

The worst part was the smug look on his face the entire game. It was like he knew he had won before we had even started. I tried to not let him break my concentration. It did not help that the dragon riders crowded around us in the clubhouse, watching our every move. Their unusual silence was almost creepy.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Ruffnut said as I started to move a pawn.

Okay, maybe the silence wasn't so bad. "How many times have you won this game, Ruff?" I moved the pawn anyway. Then Harald smirked and took it out.

"I told you," said Ruff.

I shot her a look. "It doesn't matter. Chess is more about long term planning anyway."

"And my plan is superior to yours," Harald said with a confident grin.

"We'll see about that. Why do you guys have to watch anyway?"

"Because we've never seen you take this long to win," Astrid said.

"It's nice to see you struggle for a change," said Snotlout.

I frowned. "Thanks, guys." In my next move, I took out Harald's king. Even this did not phase him.

"How come you can lose your king but not your queen in this game?" Tuffnut asked.

"Because, while men are physically stronger than women, women are psychologically stronger," I said. "We can get over the loss of our love, but men crumble and fall."

Harald raised his eyebrows at this. "Is that how it is?"

"Oh yeah," Astrid said with a grin. "You should have seen Snotlout when Heather rejected him."

Snotlout shot her a glare. "I thought we weren't going to talk about that!"

Harald chuckled. "Then I shall never fall in love."

"I don't think that's something you can control," Fishlegs said.

"And what do you know about love?" I said, giving him a teasing smirk.

Fishlegs immediately became flustered. "I, uh, well..."

I returned to my game and considered my next move. My mind shot down many possibilities until... I was left with nothing. I stared at Harald, who watched me with a triumphant smirk.

"What's the matter?" he said. "Make your move."

I looked down at the chess board and then back at him. There was no move I could make without losing, and he knew it. "This can't be happening."

His smirk widened. "Do you surrender?"

"Never! A Berserker always goes down with a fight." I moved my piece one space. It was all I could do.

In one switch motion, Harald made his own move, knocking over my queen. "Checkmate."

Silence fell over the room. Then everyone crowded around Harald, congratulating him on his victory. Meanwhile, I sat there in shock. "No, no, no!" I groaned. "How could this happen?"

"It's simple," Harald said. "I had every move planned out in advance. I led you into making specific moves - moves that were perfectly logical and the only good moves you could really make. But they all benefited me in the end. Don't feel bad, though. I would not have had to use such tricks on a lesser player. You are a truly worthy opponent."

I glowered at him. "Yeah, well, next time-"

"You can't beat me, Brennda. But you're welcome to try."

"Sorry, Brennda," Hiccup said. "It looks like you've finally met your match. I know how that feels, trust me. Just be glad he's an ally and not an enemy."

Somehow, that did not make me feel better. I hated losing. And perhaps more than that, I hated seeing Harald win. I had to find some way to knock him off his feet. I stood up and started for the door.

"Where are you going?" Harald asked.

I stopped. "I'm taking a walk; I need some fresh air." I should have just left, but something compelled me to add: "You're welcome to join me if you wish."

Harald smiled.

"Where did you learn to play chess so well?" Harald said as we walked along the path that wrapped around the island. "I thought Berserkers were more about action."

"Not all of us," I said. The cool air felt good and helped to clear my head like I thought it would. "Under Oswald the Agreeable, the island was quite relaxed. My father taught me how to play chess. He was the only one who could beat me." I smiled at the memory. "He thought highly of Oswald, and up to the end he believed some of his spirit must live in Dagur, despite our new chief's insistence on bringing us back to our 'glory days.'"

"There is a rumor that Dagur killed his father to become chief," Harald said, eyeing me carefully. "Do you know if it is true?"

"It's not true." I had not known that until the day he allegedly died. He left a note for Heather explaining everything. "Oswald died at sea. Dagur only spread the rumor so that everyone would think he was tough enough to be chief." The reality of it finally sunk in. "Maybe my dad was right. Maybe Dagur did care about us after all. He just... got lost in his obsession with Hiccup and Toothless."

"I suspect leading a village is difficult, especially when it happens unexpectedly."

I nodded. "That's true. Maybe I should have given him more credit, but I can't regret leaving. I don't know where I'd be if I hadn't joined the School of Dragons. And I don't know where I'd be without Bolt. Still, I can't believe Dagur is dead. He has to come back and lead Berserker Island. He's our best hope."

Harald remained silent for a minute, watching me as we walked. Somehow, I did not find it uncomfortable. "Do you want to go back? If Dagur is alive, would you return home?"

I considered the question. Of course, it was something I had thought about a lot, but it was hard to say for certain what I would do with so many variables up in the air. "Not at first. I am enjoying my time at Berk and the school. I still have a lot to learn. But eventually, yes, it would be nice to return home. I have this crazy dream of reintroducing the Skrill to my people, but this time we would be friends with them, not their masters."

Harald smiled. "I do not think that is crazy. It is good to have a goal."

"I suppose." We fell into silence again. I wondered why I felt so at ease talking to him like this. Save for Heather, my past and future were topics I avoided. For some reason, I felt I could trust him. Still, I did not want to be the only one opening up. "What about you, Harald? Who taught you how to play chess?"

His demeanor instantly changed, and he looked away from me so I could not see his eyes. "That is not a story you want to hear."

I frowned. This did not sound like the confident Harald I knew, which made me all the more curious. "Sure, I do. I want to know more about you."

I saw a flash of surprise in his eyes when he looked at me, and then he gave me a small smile. "Very well." He shifted his gaze straight ahead. "Some time after my father left, my village came under hard times. One day, we were attacked by a group of vicious bandits. Then a stranger appeared and saved us. He was a wanderer and agreed to stay and help us rebuild. He became a hero figure to everyone. He was everything you could ask for in a Viking: strong, brave, kind, valiant, honorable, and highly intelligent. My mother fell in love with him, and I suppose I did as well. He was my role model, and he was the one who taught me how to play chess. For awhile, everything was perfect."

"That sounds great," I said cautiously, for I sensed the story was about to take a dark turn. There was an almost bittersweet smile on his face and sadness in his eyes. "What happened next?"

Harald came to a stop. He stared at the ground for several moments before speaking. "We learned he was not who we thought he was. He turned on us and left us in a worse state than before we met him. My mother never got over him..."

He turned away from me, which was a first in our relationship. I wanted to reach out to him but did not know if I should. So, I waited for him to continue.

"But I learned some powerful lessons. That man taught me everything I know, including this: true deception requires the active participation of the deceived as well as the deceiver. We should have known better. We ignored all the signs because we wanted to believe in him. We could not believe that someone who could perform such wonderful deeds could actually be rotten at the core.

"I've learned people don't actually want the truth. They want to believe lies because it's easier, and that's what expert manipulators take advantage of. The truth is too difficult, too sticky and full of nuances. People find it hard to accept that two seemingly contradictory facts can exist simultaneously. They want black and white. Truth, honor, and justice may sound like nice ideals, but people resent you if you try to actually live them. So, what's the point? Is it really deception if someone refuses to listen to the truth? I've met many different people in my travels, and they're all the same." He shook his head. "That day, I learned there are no such things as heroes. The only person you can count on is yourself."

The coldness in his voice sent an unpleasant shiver down my spine. I never expected him to reveal so much to me. His tone and the way he had physically separated himself from me told me this was a warning. He wanted me to stay away.

So, why did I feel pulled to him more now than ever before? I realized he could have been me. If I had never left Berserker Island, I easily could have come to the same conclusions he had. I could have lost all hope in humanity. But I didn't because I was given a chance, and I made friends. But Harald... he had no one. I understood his pain and loneliness, and I felt compelled to reach out and help.

I realized I had been such a fool. My interactions with him were laced with concern for myself and what he was doing to me. I never once considered what he was going through. I did not see that his mask of confidence hid his hopelessness and despair. But to start caring now meant to step into his darkness. I had to stop prioritizing my security, for, as I sensed from the beginning, there was absolutely nothing safe about him.

I could walk away and pretend like nothing happened. After all, he expected me to reject him. We might even be able to continue as normal. Everything would be fine. Was that really what my life had come to? Was I going to run in fear from every threat? If so, I might as well admit he was right about everything. And deep down, something higher called to me. So, I made my decision.

"Harald?" He did not respond. He stood there staring at the ground, several feet from me. So, I took a few steps. "It must have been tough going through all that alone. And I understand not letting just anyone in simply to have somewhere there. It took me years before I became close to my friends. Sometimes being alone is the better option. But-" I took a deep breath and moved closer still. "You might be able to survive on your own, but you can't thrive. If you don't have anyone else... you can trust me."

I stood right beside him now, and he finally looked at me in surprise. "You're not rejecting me? I thought - I just trampled on everything you believed in. I've never told that story to anyone I didn't want to scare off."

I reached out and took his hand in mine. He flinched but did not pull away. I smiled softly at him. "I could never reject you, Harald. Not now that I know who you truly are."

"Bitter? Resentful? Hopeless?"

I shook my head. "You may say truth doesn't matter, but you must value it for your experiences to affect you so much. Everything you've given up on you must be sensitive to, or else what would there be to turn away from? Maybe you've given up hope, but I have a feeling that if you found enough evidence, you would gladly take up the fight again."

He gazed at me with a mixture of emotions. Mostly, he seemed perplexed. "You give me too much credit."

I smiled. "I don't think so. Thank you for sharing this story with me. You made me realize you were right before. I was afraid to like you. But I'm not anymore. And I do like you, Harald. A lot. Maybe everyone you've met has let you down, but I won't. I'm different from them."

A small smile flickered on his face, warming my heart. "I know. That's why I like you."

For the first time, I believed his declaration. Was this why he was drawn to me? Did he sense he could trust me? I vowed to never do anything to betray that trust. "You don't have to be alone anymore. I don't want you to be alone."

Harald used his free arm to pull me closer to him in a half-hug. I relaxed against his chest while he rested his head on mine. "Thank you, Brennda. You are the most remarkable Viking I have ever met."

We stayed like that for a long while. Despite our close contact, I did not feel nervous at all. For the first time since meeting him, I felt completely comfortable. Something deep inside me told me this was right. This was where I belonged.

He pulled away suddenly, sending a wave of cold throughout my body. I looked at him in concern. "Harald?"

Uncertainty flashed in his eyes, but it was gone a second later. "I'm sorry, I just-" He paused and started again. "I'm not used to being so open."

I nodded slowly. "I understand." I did not like how he would not look at me. Was something else bothering him? After he revealed so much, it felt wrong to pry.

"I should go." He turned to the path that led back to the base.

My heartbeat suddenly sped up. "Wait!" Was I running away from me? Had I pushed to much?

He stopped. "I'm sorry. I do not like talking about the past... or the future. So, how about this?" He faced me again, and his gaze was gentle. "Tomorrow, let's go on an adventure. Just you and me. And our dragons of course. We'll go wherever the winds take us and live life in the moment."

I had to smile at that. Good, he didn't hate me. "That sounds wonderful. I look forward to it."

Thankfully, he waited for me as I caught up to him. And then we walked back together in a comfortable silence. I sensed even then that everything had changed once more, but there was no way I could have known what I was getting myself into.

A/N: Well, that was fun! It may be past the point of no return for Brennda. ;) Let me know what you think.