A/N: It's finally time for my favorite expansion. I hope you enjoy!

"Come home, come home
'Cause I've been waiting for you
For so long, for so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all I see is you and me
The fight for you is all I've ever known
So come home"

- "Come Home" by OneRepublic

Chapter 14

Winter faded into spring, and soon the repairs at Berk were complete. The dragon riders started spending more time at Dragon's Edge when a new threat arose: a ruthless man named Krogan commanded an army who enslaved Singetails and forced them to fly with them. He attacked at random times, and no one was quite sure what he was after. I helped the others when I had time away from school.

One day late in the season, I arrived at the Edge and came across a whole new problem. I could tell the island was in a frenzy by watching the riders dash around. I immediately found Hiccup and flew down to him.

"Hey," I said, "what's going on?"

"Good timing, Brennda," Hiccup said. "There's a rampaging Triple Stryke on the island, and we need to find and stop her right away!"

My eyes widened in shock. "What?"

"We were unloading the barrels from the ship when the Triple Stryke landed in the middle of the camp. She started attacking everything in sight! We got everyone clear, and luckily, she left Dragon's Edge chasing Thor knows what."

"But why would she do that?"

Hiccup frowned. "I don't know. The Triple Stryke is an aggressive species, but I've never seen one act like this before. Something must be really wrong... We need to help her." He turned to address the other riders: "Everyone, spread out and search the island! She's probably on edge, so keep a good distance if you find her!"

I nodded. "Got it!" I took off on Bolt and searched for the Triple Stryke.

Astrid and I managed to find her at the same time. The dragon moved back and forth in a rage, destroying everything in sight.

"She's still angry," Astrid said. "We have our work cut out for us. Last time we ran into an ornery Triple Stryke, we had to distract him from attacking us. I found out that tapping two Deadly Nadder spines together made a noise that distracted the dragon. Maybe that will work on this dragon too. Hey, it's worth a shot! Pick up the Deadly Nadder spines!"

I swooped down to the ground and hopped off Bolt. I picked up two Deadly Nadder spines that Stormfly dropped. Then I slowly moved closer to the Triple Stryke while tapping the spines together. At first, it seemed to work. When I got close enough, I reached out my hand to touch the dragon.

Suddenly, the Triple Stryke leapt into the air, letting out a shrieking cry. She zoomed away from us, resuming her rampage.

"That's the opposite of calming down!" Astrid groaned. "I'll swing back towards Dragon's Edge and make sure everyone is safe. Can you look for the dragon on the other side of the island?"

"I'm on it." I returned to Bolt and quickly followed the rogue dragon's trail. On the the other side of the island, I found the Triple Stryke circling Fishlegs and Meatlug.

"You'll going to be all right, Meatlug," Fishlegs said to his dragon. "Stay with me, girl, and I'll protect you!"

"Hey!" I called as I flew down and landed beside them. "Need some help?"

"Brennda!" Fishlegs exclaimed. "Do you have a plan?"

I hesitated. "Not exactly..."

Before I could come up with one, the dragon was struck by a second Triple Stryke. Hey, I recognized that dragon... The Triple Stryke swooped low to the ground, letting his rider off before resume his assault on the wild dragon.

"It looks like I'm just in time," Dagur said, striking a confident pose.

I immediately brightened. "Dagur!" It had been months since I last saw him.

Dagur turned to me. "Brennda! Sleuther can only intimidate the Triple Stryke for so long. You need to scare her away. Have Bolt shoot lightning by the dragon's foot! Shoot fast, shoot strong, but most importantly, don't hit my dragon!"

"You got it, chief!"

I flew Bolt closer to the wild dragon. When I noticed she stood still for a few seconds, I had him shoot a lightning bolt at her feet. The Triple Stryke appeared startled, and she finally flew off, away from the island. I let out a breath of relief.

Dagur grinned at me in approval. "My boy Sleuther couldn't have done it any better. Great shot!"

I smiled. "Thanks!"

"I'll help Fishlegs get Meatlug back on her feet in fighting shape in no time. Don't worry about her; she's a fighter, just like Shattermaster! Will you go back to Dragon's Edge and tell my brother what happened?"

"Right!"

This time, we took our time flying to the other side of the island. The danger was past, after all. Hiccup appeared eager to hear my story when I landed.

"Wow, Dagur!" he said at the end. "I'm glad you and Meatlug are safe. I've been trying to figure out why she went rogue; wild dragons aren't generally so driven to attack humans, even ones as touchy as the Triple Stryke. We need to get to the bottom of this."

"Agreed," I said.

"Ah! There's Dagur. I need to talk to Astrid about defensive countermeasures first. Can you talk to Dagur and see why he's here? Maybe we can help him out."

"Alright." I walked past him and approached Dagur, Bolt at my side. "Hey, thanks for the help back there."

"You're the one who ended it," Dagur said. "You and Bolt make a great team, but what else would you expect from a Berserker and a Skrill?" He reached out to Bolt, who let him rub his head.

I grinned. "Exactly. So, what are you doing here anyway? You haven't been around in awhile."

"Sleuther and I have been busy on Berserker Island, but I wanted to see how my sister and friends were doing. It ended up being rather dramatic, wouldn't you say? But I suppose it always is. Drama clings to Hiccup like a fashionable cloak! I love it, I love it."

I smirked and rolled my eyes. "Right. So, do you have any idea what was wrong with that Triple Stryke? Hiccup said they're usually aggressive, but something was off about this one."

"Hiccup is right about that. Sleuther can get a bit bristly - especially in the morning - but this is something entirely new. My hackles are up... I must smell a villain in the area. You and I know what to do with villains, am I right, Brennda?"

"Bury them with overwhelming force and send them packing?" I suggested.

Dagur laughed. "I like that."

"Do you really think this was intentional? I've never seen a tactic like this used by any of the villains we know... Krogan's our main adversary right now, and I don't think he's smart enough to pull this up."

Dagur shook his head. "Then it's someone new testing the waters. Do you really think it was just a coincidence that the Triple Stryke chose Dragon's Edge for her little destructive spree? Please. I may not be book smart, but I'm clever like a Skrill." Bolt snorted in disbelief. "This is exactly what I'd do to my enemy. Ask Astrid what she thinks if you want a sane opinion."

I shrugged. "Well, why not?" I left Dagur in pursuit of Astrid. I found her just as Hiccup parted from her.

"Dagur's right," she said after I relayed his concern. "We can't assume that this is a one-time thing. That dragon was acting really strange, and we all know Hiccup has more than his fair share of enemies. We'll have to find out exactly what - or who - is behind this, and stop them."

"That won't be difficult at all..." We needed more information, but how could we get it?

"In the meanwhile, with berserk dragons around, you need to be able to defend yourself and work together with your allies to stop them. I'm working on a weapon that would be perfect in your hands, but Gobber isn't done gathering the materials yet. Will you ask him for the materials? He should be at Scuttleclaw Island"

I perked up at her words. That was really nice of her! "Sure, I'll be right back."

So, it was off to Scuttleclaw Island. I found Gobber at the edge of the island, and he explained he had only managed to get two Shivertooth fang so far. I offered to enter the Shivertooth cave and collect the second. Soon, I had three fangs, and I brought them back to Astrid at Dragon's Edge.

"Wow, they don't have any cracks or chips," Astrid said. "It's perfect! You and Gobber did great work. Give me one moment to get your present ready.

I patiently waited for her to construct the weapon. When she was finished, I admired the beautiful ice axe. She suggested I try it out in battle, so we engaged in a Dragon Tactics course together. It turned out to be really fun!

"Hey, you did great!" Astrid said as we left the training dome. "I'll expect bigger and better things from you, and I know you'll overcome all the courses. We'll have to run you through a lot of practice courses to get you ready for anything that we may have to face."

I flashed her a grin. "Sounds good to me! And thanks again for the axe." I wondered if Dagur would want to train too. It sounded right up his ally.

"Oh, Heather's here! Great. She wanted to give this exercise a shot, and I bet Windshear is raring to give it a go too. Can you talk to her and let her know that it's ready?"

"Certainly!" I jogged over to Heather, arriving just as she dismounted. "Hey, Heather. Are you here to train with Astrid? Oh, and Dagur's here."

"Really?" Heather said. "That sounds great. But first, I'm here for you! Johann is looking for you; he says that he really needs your help with something vital. He seemed really stressed. Will you go talk to him at Hobblegrunt Island? He said he'd wait by the crossed trees on the far side of the island."

I stared at her. "He needs me?" I could not remember the last time Johann asked specifically for me.

"Apparently, it's something only you can help him with."

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "I can't imagine what that could be. It's not like I have a specialty among the dragon riders."

Heather shrugged. "I guess you'll find out when you get there."

"I guess... Well, I better go see what he wants. Good luck with your training."

"Thanks!"

I did not understand my apprehension as I flew to Hobblegrunt Island. Maybe it was my unfortunate history with the island. At least it was a quick flight. I knew the two trees Heather spoke of, and I quickly found the spot and descended.

Johann ceased his pacing when he spotted me. "I see that Heather got my message to you! Oh, that is most excellent indeed. The need is both pressing and great, and you are the only Viking who may bring salvation to my most distressing situation." He tapped his fingers together nervously. "I'll bring you up to speed as fast as I can (and to save time, I will attempt to reign in my flourishes and asides)."

Attempt... And why did he sound so dramatic? "Alright. Get on with it then." I crossed my arms and waited for his explanation apprehensively.

"I was asked to arrange a meeting with a man who has an... extensive history with Hiccup and the illustrious others. And yes, some of that history was fraught with conflict. However, he approached me in good faith and asked me to remind you that he helped everyone survive on Dragon Island."

My eyes narrowed. "Johann..." Of course, there was only one person he could be talking about. And now I understood why I was needed.

"Harald is waiting for you below the hill... and I believe he is a friend. Please talk to him."

I stood there glowering at him for a minute. I felt duped, though surely Johann was as much a victim as I was. "A friend? That's not what you told me the last time I asked you about him."

Johann's eyes darted around frantically. "Yes, well, circumstances change, and he brought up a great opportunity and -"

"And you got played by him." I sighed and shook my head. "You really should have known better."

"You won't talk to him then?"

I should have said no. I should have just walked away. But that had no relevance to the only thing I could do. "Of course I'm going to talk to him. Come on, Bolt." I placed my hand on the Skrill's back as I walked down the hill.

I spotted Harald right away. He stood on the shore near his ship, Leopold on his shoulder. And he looked... different. I swear I saw his eyes brighten when he saw me, but he quickly hid it behind his mask of confidence. I stopped right before him and waited, not trusting myself to speak first.

"Brennda!" he said with a fake smile. "What a pleasure."

I ignored him at first and focused on the Terrible Terror. "Leopold! How are you?" I reached out to pet him, smiling when he chirped happily. Only then did I address his caretaker. "What's with the messenger?" I jerked my thumb behind me. "Did you enjoy freaking out Johann? You could have come to me directly. And I would have been better prepared."

Harald smirked. "But that would not have been as much fun."

I rolled my eyes. "What do you want, Harald?"

"I know, I know - why am I here after I last fled with my tail tucked between my legs? Well, can you blame me for fleeing a dragon the size of an island? Besides, I helped you out then."

"You helped? Everything that happened was orchestrated by you. Well, except the Green Death, but you did the exact opposite of helping with her by shooting her and angering her."

Harald appeared irritated at my accusation. "Would you have preferred I let the beast devour you and Bolt?"

"That wasn't going to happen. We had it under control!"

"Not from where I stood."

I stopped myself from instinctively arguing back. I remembered Eret's explanation for Harald's behavior. It almost sounded like he was right. "Wait a minute, you were actually trying to protect me?"

"Yes," Harald said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I know it wasn't much, but what else was I supposed to do? You wouldn't listen to reason and stay clear of the danger."

Something about the way he spoke told me this was the truth. And that realization changed something in me. Seizing the opportunity, I willingly let go of my own defenses. "Thank you."

Harald appeared caught off guard by the remark. "What?"

I offered him a genuine smile. "Thank you for trying to help me. It didn't work out that way, but you had the right intentions. I'm sorry for doubting you. I should have realized the truth right away."

Harald eyed me suspiciously. He searched my face, and a moment later, he visibly relaxed. "Yes, you should have. And... you're welcome."

"So, what's with the new look?"

Harald smirked. "Do you like it?"

I walked all the way around him, examining him. The sash around his waist was now blue instead of red, he had ditched his gloves, and he now wore short sleeves, showing off a symbol consisting of three connected swirls on his right arm. Plus, he had white streaks on his face that went across his nose. "Not bad, actually," I said honestly. "The blue looks really good on you, but... I'm concerned about what this all means."

Harald appeared pleased at my approval. "Not to worry, Brennda. It is the reason I wanted to talk to you. I'm here to do you another favor. Berk will gain a very powerful ally, if you have the courage to listen. Interested?"

"No," I said flatly.

"I haven't even told you my offer yet."

"I can put the pieces together." I motioned to his right arm. "This has to be the symbol of some kind of group, right? You've joined a pirate crew and want me to meet you want me to meet your captain. Got tired of going it alone?"

Harald looked at me in amusement. "I knew you were clever. Yes, you are technically correct. My new boss has asked me to extend an invitation to you to her battleship. I told her that you are a moral Viking with Hiccup's ear. He's stubborn and headstrong; I don't know if he could put his misplaced hatred of me aside to have a peaceful talk. I bet you can."

Clearly, he did not know Hiccup well enough. "Our nonexistent hatred is not the point. We don't negotiate with pirates."

"You negotiated with me on Dragon Island."

"That was an attempt at justice, not a negotiation. Besides, you broke your side of the agreement, proving my point."

"Brennda, if I may," Johann said, appearing out of nowhere. "You may be a bit apprehensive about this offer, but I believe that we have a duty to listen. If his assertion is correct, his new employer will introduce a large shift in power in the archipelago. It is best to meet them and be prepared for what come next."

I pursed my lips as I thought about it. "You may have a point, but..." I swung back to face Harald. "Why should I go alone to meet someone who could be an enemy, especially when I suspect they sent a raged Triple Stryke to attack Dragon's Edge?" It was only a guess, but it did make sense.

Harald's eyes seemed to almost gleam with pride. "Very good. I assure you this can all be sorted out if you agree to a talk. And I promise I won't let any harm come to you."

That last part I did believe. I glanced at Bolt, who watched us with keen interest. "Bolt can come along?"

"Of course."

"I shall also go with you to make sure that you are safe," Johann said.

I gave him a nod of acknowledgement before returning my gaze to Harald, who patiently waited for my decision. I wondered what Hiccup would think of me going off to meet some pirate captain alone. Anyone Harald would willingly follow had to be exceedingly cunning... and dangerous. I did not want to do anything that was to their benefit, but Johann did have a point. I wanted more information, didn't I?

"Fine," I said. "But afterwards, I want you to do something for me."

"We can discuss that later," Harald said, his face betraying no emotion.

"Let's get this over with." I walked past him to his ship. Bolt bounded past me and boarded first.

I refused to look at anyone except my dragon as we set sail. I needed to focus so I could be prepared for this meeting. But... I could not deny there was a part of me that was pleased with Harald's return. And it sounded like he meant to stay this time. I was sure he intended to retain complete control over our interactions, but his presence did give me the opportunity to fight for that control.

I remembered Heather's advice from two months prior. I could do this. I knew what I wanted, and I would fight until I got it. The game was on.