CHAPTER 25: Reclaiming the edge
Guddorn was back in Hawkon's presence, the two in a secretive location within Mentra. With the regime's surge of strength enabling it to fully capture and invade Outcast Island, Hawkon was set to give the leader of Mentra's armada his next command.
"The war thus far has been rather easy, sir Hawkon. Our invasion of Outcast Island was as smooth as it could've gone. No Hooligans. The outcast leader wasn't there, meaning they didn't have the leadership or the force to counter our charging presence. As we speak, our defenders and our allies in the Berserkers are fully occupying the island, for when we win this war and become the ruling body of this archipelago."
"Splendid words, Guddorn." Hawkon said, praising Guddorn for his leadership skills of the armada.
"We're expanding, and this war gives us the perfect excuse to continue our expansion, as you will know. But so far, our defenders have been met with relatively little resistance. It's got a vibe of phoniness to it." Guddorn replied.
"That phoniness gives us the head start we need," Hawkon said, "our grand plan includes us forcing the Hooligans to do full battle with us, under the extreme confidence we will come out on top when that final battle happens. But it's going to be beneficial for us and our intentions after this war if it remains a phoney war for now, as you seem to imply it being at the moment."
Guddorn nodded.
"But at the same time, as I've said already, we will need to keep the Hooligans in their place until that final battle for their island happens, which is why, at some point, the armada, led by you, will be sailing to their island to get them to strike, to get a feeling of their strength, but to also keep them distracted whilst our vikings construct the gear and catapults we will be using for our grand plan."
"Absolutely, sir." Guddorn saluted.
"Over these passing weeks, construction has been relatively smooth. Our Berserker allies joining in has allowed us to double our building rate. And with us occupying Outcast Island and eventually what's remaining within the archipelago, we're gradually gaining more and more strength to be able to counter an unexpected Hooligan attack, should it happen." Hawkon proudly declared.
"I'm just wondering, sir, what will become of our ability to keep food supplies going all over the archipelago for the defenders when we occupy the majority of it eventually?"
"Our strength thus far indicates our supplies will be just fine, Guddorn. The fishermen have been catching cod and trout at double the rate they're usually expected to, their work ethic, which is to be admired greatly, means we will have no trouble with that."
Guddorn once again nodded.
"The Berserkers are going to be doing patrols on the seas throughout this whole war, however long we must fight it to win. We must expand our militaristic numbers not just to on-land vicinity, but on the waters. And speaking of the seas, Guddorn, you will recall the prisoner bay?"
"Aye sir." Guddorn said.
"It is a piece of land that we must reclaim into our hands, and we must occupy it in the manner we are in Outcast Island. The week long journey from our island to what the Hooligans would strangely call the 'dragon's edge' has been shown to be survivable with the supplies we have. You will, therefore, be leading our new armada towards the prisoner bay, and once you make land fall, you will recapture it with whatever force is necessary. I've let the situation of our defenders having to evacuate from it due to initial Hooligan force go. With our new found strength, there will be no room for failure." Hawkon declared.
"Sir, we managed to take over Outcast Island and we're occupying it for when it becomes engulfed into our sovereignty, we will be able to do the same with the prisoner bay. I will ensure that we reclaim it and that we dispose of any foreigners that happen to be in our path."
Hawkon nodded. The despot Mentranian leader saw competence in Guddorn, and that meant Guddorn's life was safe.
Another 7 days had passed, and the new Mentranian armada had finally arrived at the edge, with Guddorn leading the way once again.
The war has once again been relatively quiet, from the Hooligan side. But that was still hugely beneficial for the Mentranians, in that it's allowing them to carry out their invasions across the archipelago with little to no resistance, and once they tighten their grip on these captured lands, it'll be much harder for the Hooligans to take them back in a battle.
The armada sailed towards the village with wariness, but also under the assumption that the Hooligans and the 'enemies' that initially attacked them and forced them to evacuate from it were no longer here.
Guddorn kept a firm eye out using his wooden telescope. The armada leader looked back at the huge collection of boats, filled with Berserkers and Mentranians, upon studying the outlines of the battered, destroyed village of the former Dragon's Edge.
"Clear so far, men. Keep our sails in line with the wind so we approach the bay quicker." Guddorn commanded to the two Mentranians on his boat.
The armada sailed closer. The land pillars surrounding the fronts of the edge, the battered, empty structures of the somewhat over-water village had prompted a bit more confidence in them. There genuinely seemed to be nobody living within this place.
"No signs of activity, sir." a face-covered Mentranian stated to Guddorn.
"That's what they'd want us to think."
"If they were still upon our prisoner bay they'd have attacked us from the hills by now."
"Stealthiness is a trap for us. For all we know, they could be hiding in those structures, no matter how comforting it is for us to get this close without any response." Guddorn insisted.
The rope held wooden spiral staircase in the middle of the edge became much more visible, as Guddorn's boat, followed by the strong Mentranian armada behind him, emerged closer. The spiral staircase was surprisingly intact despite the thunderous battle that this place hosted when the Hooligans attacked fairly recently.
"Let's make landfall then, gentlemen. In order to ensure there's no enemy activity, we ought to kick down the doors of all of these structures and ensure they're empty. You are to join me in clearing out the entire bay before we can consider it safe and empty. I shall gesture for our armada to follow our landfall intentions."
"Aye, Guddorn sir."
Guddorn walked to the back of his boat, behind the wooden pole holding the sails, and waved at the 30-40+ boat strong armada of Mentranians and Berserkers. He then made a pointing gesture towards the rather steep shores that had lime-green looking grass.
"PILE ONTO THE LAND WHILST WE CLEAR IT OUT!" Guddorn yelled, his voice echoing like an intimidating, violent figure with his deep voice roaring into the air.
The entire armada, which had included the same amount of Mentranians and Berserkers as the one that invaded Outcast Island, had finally made landfall, with the vikings walking up the steep shores, crossbows aimed out as they remained ducked down. Guddorn and two other Mentranians were the only ones in the actual village of the edge, where they were going to the various huts to kick their doors down, and then to rush inside and attack anybody that may still be inside them from the recent battle with the Hooligans.
Guddorn held onto the wooden knob of a half collapsed hut that they used as a storage of prisoners before the Hooligans attacked. The two Mentranians knelt down on either side of the door in order to speed up their rush inside as soon as the door gets pelted open.
Guddorn adjusted the knob.
"On three, wield your crossbows and fire away at anyone that's inside."
Guddorn took a few steps back and began counting down very rapidly.
"One...two..." Guddorn slammed his boot viciously into the door, thundering it open like a hurricane had opened it with strong winds, "THREE!"
The two Mentranians stormed in with their venom-equipped crossbows, but there was nothing inside. All there was was pure blackness. It felt like they could hear haunting ambiences from just how dead the inside was.
"Hut clear, sir."
"Good. There's only a couple more we'll need to check before we can fully confirm that there's no enemies hanging about." Guddorn nodded, praising the agility of the two Mentranians for how fast they leapt into the hut.
About twenty minutes later, the entire edge was once again populated by huge numbers of Berserkers and Mentranians. It was once again a Mentranian-held base.
Guddorn was talking in a small group of higher-up Mentranians for this particular mission. Specifically, the captains of the armada.
"Gentlemen, we cannot let another attack happen here."
"That is why we're going to have thorough patrols over this particular island, through the woods, for any foreigners. We will ensure the watch tower at the top is utilised as well."
"This is particularly important because we will need to eventually sail towards the home island of the Hooligans, as a 'baiting' method, to get a test of their might and strength. Plus, it'll distract them from attempting to come back here, or generally anywhere on the archipelago." Guddorn insisted.
"As we're a week away from Mentra, our supply chain can only last us for so long."
"Father Hawkon is working on giving the Berserkers that duty, of transferring supplies to this place so our occupation can hold up, and on top of that, he's looking to send even more of our defenders here to have a stronger retaliation should an attack by the Hooligans happen again."
The armada captains nodded with Guddorn, who held the top authority of the entire armada, even above the captains themselves.
The Dragon's Edge, or 'prisoner bay' as the Mentranians call it, is once again under Mentranian occupation, and this time, under a much stronger one.
Yet another week had passed. So many weeks were passing, but it was because of the trips being made to the edge and back. It was a week away from Mentra, as it was for New Berk.
In this case, Guddorn, in light of having the edge fully occupied by the defenders of Mentra in stronger numbers and capabilities, sailed back to Mentra to be instructed on the next task; sailing towards the home land of the Hooligans.
"Guddorn, you have so far impressed me. Our defenders currently hold both the Outcast Island and the prisoner's bay. You are a mighty asset in this war. We still have tons more of the archipelago to engulf and take over, but as of now, we're in an advantage to win this war." Hawkon said, applauding Guddorn for his ability to lead two armadas to two successful invasions of different areas.
Gustav Larson, the second in command, was stood alongside Hawkon this time. He stood alongside Hawkon like one of Hawkon's adviser vikings.
The second-in-command, having cult status in the regime amongst the regulars like Hawkon, and obviously, holding powers very similarly to the levels of Hawkon, was discussing the war with him in various meetings, for Hawkon wanted to eventually assign Gustav his own operation to contribute to the war effort.
"A week or two ago, you'll recall me stating our intention to test the strength of the Hooligans, and to also keep them distracted from what we're doing in the archipelago surrounding The Viking's Mentra. That will be your new set goal. You, leading our armada once again, will sail towards the home island of the Hooligans to not only distract them and test their strength, but to also potentially make them use up whatever resources of weaponry they have left to attack us with, so they'll have less and less gear to counter our grand plan and our REAL attack."
"There will be no hesitance from me on this, sir Hawkon."
"I very much hope there won't be any, Guddorn. You know of my past, as does our father. I want you to ensure they waste absolutely everything they've got left on you, so we can ruin them when the time comes." Gustav interrupted, "it'll be especially satisfying for me to see Hiccup, Eret, Snotlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, and the other lot they've got going on, contribute to their own downfall."
Gustav's past with Hiccup & co and that particular incident involving a disagreement with Hiccup letting the dragons go was still rampant in his head. Being banished still fuels his desire for revenge, and as apart of this regime, being the second most influential figure in it for the duration of the regime's existence, and now, with this war, Gustav easily had the opportunity to strike at Hiccup and the rest of them.
"Gustav sir, I concur with your statement. Our defenders will fend off the Hooligans whilst we ensure they're distracted and held back from interfering in our archipelago plans." Guddorn said, talking to Gustav with the same respect he uses for Hawkon, which is appropriate, given Guddorn's basically got the same god-like status in the Mentranian cult of personality as Hawkon.
"No longer will you be spending a week on the seas to travel to lands. New Berk is basically just a full day away from our island, getting to them and striking at them will be a fast and smooth process." Gustav Larson added.
The three important figures of the regime nodded in agreement at each other. Fludgeon wasn't here because he was rounding up the Berserkers to ready them for the next phase of Hawkon's plans with the archipelago.
The Hooligans had a real problem on their hands. Either they strike now, as they haven't for weeks, or they let the archipelago become engulfed into Mega Mentra, and subsequently, allow themselves to become at risk of a Mega Mentra attack on New Berk itself. The clock was ticking. Hiccup & co just wasted two weeks, despite talking about reorganising in the last chapter, they can't keep affording to do that.
