CHAPTER 34: Invading Dragon Island
Now back on Mentra after sailing back from Berserker Island, Hawkon was chairing a secretive meeting within the overseers party's hall, where a long wooden table, resembling half a circle, consisted of Hawkon himself right in the middle, with Gustav Larson sat besides him.
The hall itself was situated, to no surprise, within a secretive vicinity of the island. The overseers party of Mentra was a crucial element, ever since it was formed, in the running and the maintaining of the Mentranian viking regime, so naturally, it needed its headquarters positioned out of the path and perspective of all the regular Mentranian vikings.
Hawkon was chairing this particular meeting between himself and his governing body of the Mentranian regime because he wanted to ratify his orders of the invasions of; the two new islands that Fludgeon had spoken of, and that Caldera Cay that Fludgeon had also spoken of. Those invasions were going down today.
"First of all, folks, I'd like to thank you all for your cooperation here today. We cannot be complacent, and we cannot relax at all, however. The war is still ours to win, and by the time Catafly comes by, we'll have to be at our best and at the top of our motivation levels. Our defenders are still occupying the current islands we still hold, and the purpose of this meeting today is for me to ratify the orders to give to the defenders, for three invasions of different islands." Hawkon nodded, placing his hands together on the table, together, almost in a circle shape as he spoke.
"Larson, given your past with the Hooligans, when you used to be with them, you ought to know about the first two islands? I gave you a physical description of them before we came down here to this meeting." Hawkon said, completely leading the agenda of the meeting as he turned to Gustav.
The Mentranian vikings affiliated with the overseers party were already taking notes on the papers in front of themselves, as Hawkon and Gustav both started communicating with each other.
"I've had a long think about it, father. A very long think, in fact. And in doing so, I think I've now recalled those two islands that you two spoke of. The descriptions rang a bell to me." Larson said, as he too placed his hands on the table in a circle shape as he spoke.
"One of those islands...you said had a very...well, our ally said, it had a very...shiny looking waterfall? that reminds me of Friga Island. The Hooligans once travelled there, but only that one time. The other island...our ally said it had towers of boulders covering its front coast? that reminds me of Changewing Island...Changewing, sir, is actually a species of dragon. But given that all of those reptiles retreated to The Hidden World on Hiccup's command ten years ago...I doubt there'll be anymore Changewings there."
"And in terms of any tribes...can we expect any?" Hawkon asked.
The other vikings on the half circle-shaped wooden table continued taking their notes.
"No. Those two islands are as dead as Grimmel. They'll be easy gains on our behalf, sir."
"We appreciate your contribution, second father." one of the overseers party Mentranian vikings uttered, from the left side of the long table.
"It's all for our benefit, fellow colleague. Now I believe, sir Hawkon, there was a third island due to be invaded?" Gustav asked.
"Caldera Cay. Fludgeon told me, however, that it's actually an island consisting of a dormant volcano. But assuming it stays dormant, we should be successful in taking it. And contrary to the above islands we've just mentioned, this one DOES have a foreigner tribe living on it still." Hawkon said, looking on both sides of the wide, long wooden table consisting of the overseers party.
"Sir, if there's a tribe on there, the armada will have to be significantly larger." one Mentranian viking said, on the other side of the table.
"Indeed. But they're a tribe who's been without their main 'queen' as she once called herself, for some time now, which is a huge benefit for us. They probably installed another Chieftan or...I don't know, monarchy leader, whatever they do over there, but it won't be a match for us. We'll take them and their island and once again obtain a new piece of territory for our living space expansion when we defeat the Hooligans." Hawkon declared.
"Defenders of the Wing is their tribe name, sir Hawkon, I don't know if my memory's playing with me, though." Gustav added.
"They won't be defenders any longer, we can be certain of that." Hawkon chuckled.
"So, sir, we'll be ready to ratify these plans under your permission. Are you sure that the defenders are well equipped to undertake these invasions, all today?" one Mentranian overseers party affiliate asked.
"We have our allies in the Berserkers to assist us, so our defenders are more than equipped. I've also agreed on the plans to retake that Dragon Island, that we initially lost to the Hooligans, whereby they destroyed our in-process dragon deterrent program at the time. I also want us to take over that steamy island that somebody...I can't remember who it was, referred to it with the name 'Rookery'. So we're looking at five island invasions today, which're all achievable given the competence of our defenders and our war effort." Hawkon said.
The overseers party meeting was now drawing to a close. After a quick writing of notes, one viking affiliate to the overseers party asked the crucial question.
"Are these the green lights you're giving us to ratify the invasion plans, sir?" he asked Hawkon, but also looking at Gustav, given he was the second most powerful viking in the regime, but it was Hawkon who had the final say over these crucial decisions.
"They are indeed. They can now be ratified and signed off." Hawkon proudly declared.
At that, Mentra's intention to invade more islands, in light of Guddorn's death, was official. The war was about to get much more complex for the Hooligans.
The armada sailed its way towards Dragon Island, as mist surrounded the entirety of the seas as they neared it. Once again, a mixture of Berserkers and Mentranians had been sent within the armada.
Without the leadership of Guddorn, the armada was mainly down to the captain of it, to guide it. But given the Hooligans had no longer occupied this upcoming island, not much effort needed to be put in. But it was vital for the Mentranians to hold onto this island with a tighter grip, rather than letting it slip out of their occupation like it did initially when the Hooligans arrived here before destroying the defence program.
"Steady now. We're about to get right within it." the captain Mentranian uttered, as he started making out one gigantic, rocky cliff amongst the cloudy, pale mist.
At long last, the armada had sailed its way through the mist. It was now situated within a short distance from the rocky shores of Dragon Island. The rocky pillar overhangs that intertwined, the volcanic-looking cliff in the middle, the hundreds of broken pebbles situated on the ground of the island, had all became very apparent. The white, misty atmosphere had added to the boring feeling that was being emitted from the place.
But the fact they were now going to re-occupy the island was the most important thing to them. As the boats started slowing down, the captain turned to the boats situated in groups behind his own.
"WE'RE ABOUT TO MAKE LAND. AS SOON AS WE HIT IT, WE'LL JUMP ON AND SCAN THE PLACE FOR ANY FOREIGNERS OR HOOLIGANS!"
A few minutes had passed, and now, the rumblings of collective sprints and footsteps had became rife on the island, the very island that used to house the Red Death. Those rumblings and footsteps had all came from the Berserkers and Mentranians, spreading themselves out, weapons in hand, quickly overtaking the ground of the island as they searched for any 'foreigners' or Hooligans.
"So far, captain, we seem to be in the clear." one Mentranian viking had uttered to the captain, as the majority of the armada had emptied itself out onto the island at this point.
"We must tighten our grip on this island, to a much higher strength than what we had previously." the captain stressed.
"We will, sir. The father will want that. But I'll tell you one thing; as I patrolled and searched the island for any left over Hooligans or foreigners, my group and I had came across the dead dragons that we had initially captured in order to collect their eggs for our deterrent program with phase one. Turns out this island isn't all that 'empty' after all." he chuckled.
"The dragon deterrent was called off, it was called off when it became clear we had to seek war with the Hooligans, but the thought of all of those reptiles laying dead on this island...that alone is going to illustrate our new found occupying strength on here."
"Indeed, sir. We may no longer be pursuing our defence program, but dead dragons are always beneficial for us at times like these." the Mentranian defender said, as he and the captain chuckled, as the rest of the armada continued to invade and overtake the grounds of the island.
Mentra has now taken back Dragon Island, adding to its growing list of occupied islands over the Barbaric Archipelago. Much more were to come, in light of Guddorn's death, and thus far, it seemed like nothing could stop them.
