After being busy for more than a month, I have FINALLY returned to you all with another chapter!

Before starting off however, I would sincerely like to apologize for such a long wait. College came earlier than I imagined, and as a result, I have been working my butt off in order to keep up. Eventually however, I found a moment in my schedule where I could begin writing out this chapter, and as such, it has led to this.

Either way, I hope this chapter is not too bad, and I hope you guys like it! I promise that I will try to release the next chapter as soon as possible!

Please sit back, and enjoy!

THUD!

"OOF!"

Hiccup let out a heavy gasp as a startling thud slammed against his bed, awakening him from his peaceful slumber.

Though the sun had not yet risen from its nightly cycle, in all consideration, the early morning came once again to the world of Midgard. Yet in the midst of the silent room, something, or rather someone, slammed into Hiccup's bed, disturbing him from his sleep.

After being awoken by the sudden impact, Hiccup immediately sat up from his bed and looked forward, only to see Toothless standing at the base of the bed.

The lad gazed back at the Night Fury with a curious yet exhausted look. "T- Toothless? What are you doing here? How the Thor did you get into the inn-?"

"I busted my way through the door. But now's not the time to chat," Toothless growled in Dragonese, as if he were on alert. "As random as this sounds, we need to get up and get out of here, RIGHT NOW."

"Wha-? The sun's not even up yet!" quietly exclaimed Hiccup. "Wh- What in the world is going on Toothless? What's gotten into you?"

"It'd take too long to explain. We need to-"

"Tell me quickly, then!" interrupted Hiccup, raising a hand out to the dragon. "It seems all too random for you to just come in here in the middle of the dark and tell me that we need to leave. So stop rushing, and just tell me what the Hel is going on…"

The black dragon exhaled warm air from his nostrils, shaking his head in irritation. "Listen... There's something out there in the woods. I don't know what it is, but my dragon senses heard it from a mile away, and it woke me up in seconds. Whatever it is, it's now headed our way."

"Can you at least tell me what you heard?" asked Hiccup.

"The first thing I heard were hooves galloping. You know- like the ones on a horse, and they were riding fast and heavy. But… they sounded large... too large… and look- I know I'm a dragon, and I don't know much about horses, but trust me, I know what I heard."

"However, then there was something else. It was faint, but that was the kicker that had my adrenaline going… I heard a-"

"HSSS!"

The sound of a loud and horrifying screech instantly filled Hiccup's ears, startling not just him, but as well as his friends who slept all around him, and like so, it was enough to wake them up from their slumber almost immediately.

"WHAT THE THOR!?" gasped Fishlegs, swiftly sitting up as he looked back at his surroundings with intimidation in his eyes.

"Ugh… that was so not cool, sis!" grunted Tuffnut, glaring back at his sister who slept on another bed nearby.

"What the Helheim are you talking about!?" the lass exhaustingly huffed. "That wasn't me! Sounded more like a dying chicken if anything!"

"I think it's outside the north gates," crooned Toothless. "There's no time. Get geared up, and meet me outside near the stables. We need to leave this town as soon as possible, and get as far away from here as we can."

To that, Hiccup watched as the Night Fury swiftly charged out of the room, making his way down the dimly lit hallway until he was out of the lad's sight.

Upon looking back at the other vikings however, Hiccup could see the confusion and terror that was glued on their faces. They had no idea what was happening, nor what that horrifying sound was.

"Hiccup…" said Astrid. "What was that noise? Wh- What is even going on!?"

"I'll explain it to you all once we get out of here," the lad replied. "Get your gear on, and prepare to fly out. We can't stay here any longer. It's not safe."

"Oh come onnnn," whined Snotlout. "It's not even dawn yet! Can't we just-"

"Not another word," interrupted Hiccup through slightly gritted teeth. "Unless you don't want to know what that sound was, then shut up and listen to-"

"HSSS!"

"AHHH!" screamed Snotlout, nearly falling off of his bed from the startling screech. "Okay! Okay! We can go! I don't wanna stay here! You happy!?"

"Finally, something we can agree on, Snotlout," said Astrid as she hastily threw her furred blanket aside and quickly stood to her feet, wearing only her red tunic and leather leggings as she swiftly made way to a nearby chest where they had locked away their gear.

"Well?" she said, looking back at the others. "What are you guys waiting for?"

…

The vikings wasted no time after they had geared up and gathered their weapons. As soon as they were up and out of the inn, they quickly made haste to the stables, rallying up their dragons as they mounted up and flew their way out of the town of Daneshire, as swiftly and quietly as they could.

None of them dared to look back, even after the town was out of sight. They did not want to think about what it was that was waiting outside - possibly for them, for they feared the worst.

Yet even during the hour that had passed by after their departure, the thought of what it could have been did not escape their minds. They simply could not stop thinking about it.

"I don't understand..." sighed Arn, sitting behind Hiccup. "What even was that screech? I've never heard such a scary noise in my life!"

"Mind finally giving us some insight, Hiccup?" asked Snotlout, staring at the lad from atop Hookfang. "I think we deserve to know."

"There's not much to say, but I'll tell you what I know," replied Hiccup. "When I woke up from my sleep, I found Toothless standing at the end of my bed, talking to me in Dragonese and telling me that something was headed our way, and that we needed to get up and get going. I asked him what it was that was coming our way, but his description was… a bit vague."

"Hey! I told you all I could, you know!" huffed Toothless.

"I know, I know…" whispered back Hiccup.

"Well… go on, then. What did he say?" asked Arn.

Hiccup let out a sigh. "He was unsure what it was, but he told me that the first thing his senses picked up were the sounds of hooves galloping. Like the hooves of a horse. But he also told me that they were far too large for a regular horse. Whatever that screech was, I don't think it was a horse."

"So then who made that sound?" asked Fishlegs, to which Astrid, who flew nearby atop Stormfly, gave a questioning look back at the Ingerman.

"I think the real question is, what, made that sound."

"Let's hope we never find out," said Snotlout. "I don't want to go back there."

Hiccup shook his head. "Well the good news is that we won't. Whatever it was that made that screech, it didn't feel right to me at all."

"It sounded- wrong… like it was demonic and tormented… and haunting. Almost as if it was unnatural."

"Uhh… unnatural?" asked Tuffnut. "Pfft, please. We use magic! We can fart fire and whip out lightning. Ain't that unnatural?"

"Technically that's supernatural. Though whatever that was, it could've been supernatural as well, for all we know," answered Fishlegs. "Again, we don't know what it was back there that made that screaming sound."

"Let's not worry too much about it," said Arn, gazing off at the distant horizon. "The worst is behind us, and the dawn lies ahead, so let's just enjoy our moment of relief."

"Uhh… are you trying to be some sort of gandálf or something?" questioned Ruffnut, staring at Arn with an arched brow. "I mean- where the Thor do you see the sun? All I see is dark, and night, and… dark… Now- don't get me wrong, I know the difference between sun and moon, but I don't see the sun, ya know? In fact, I actually don't see the moon either."

"Maybe Sol and Mani were finally eaten?" asked Tuffnut.

"Nah, bro! It's behind the clouds!" his sister replied.

To his irritation from the annoying twins, the blonde-headed lad immediately replied in an exclaiming manner, "Just look to the west!"

As Arn uttered those words, everyone's eyes turned west, and in the distance, the light of dawn appeared on the horizon. From behind the wintry clouds, the sun's glow slowly filled the sky with a dark blue colour, all while the pale moon set into the east like a sinking ship, and as time went on, the sky became brighter and brighter.

True to the lad's words, the dawn of the next day finally came...

"Ohh…" responded Ruffnut, before adding on with, "So that does make you a gandálf?"

"RUFF!" screamed Arn.

The only response after that was a unison of laughter from Hiccup and the riders as Arn sat in silence, holding a hand over his face.

"Odin's sake…" he replied in a muffle.

"Well," chuckled Hiccup. "Now you know the stuff I've had to deal with for the past seven years from the Twins."

"Yup," quietly nodded the blonde lad. "Dumb and dumber... Yay me."

From there on, the group continued their flight with only slight conversation, and as their travel went on, the sun found itself higher and higher into Midgard's sky, like a kite flying up amongst the winds and clouds.

For several more hours, the flight went on without any interruption, until the young vikings eventually caught gaze upon a small empty opening, which laid deforested of any trees, save for a few snowy bushes and logs. To Hiccup, he saw it as a perfect place for rest. After all, only vast forests surrounded them for miles around.

The rolling plains and hills may have been one thing for the lad and his friends, but long distances of woods in all directions were another. Searching for an ideal location to camp was not easy for where they were, and thus, the distant opening would have to do.

"Time to make up for the sleep we lost," spoke the young viking tiredly. "Let's make camp!"

…

The burning flames brightly crackled as the seven vikings sat against the bulks of their dragons around the fire, all of whom laid down, slumbering in the snow like calm infants in a cradle.

Yet even though the dragons could sleep, the vikings themselves still remained desperate. The feeling of dread would not leave them, and the wondering thought of what made the demonic screech back in Daneshire still lingered in their minds.

"I can't sleep…" groaned Ruffnut, dropping her head back against Barf and Belch. "Why can't I sleep?!"

Tuffnut tossed his sister a tiring glance, gazing at her with bags under his eyes. "It's not just you, sis. That goat-demon-monster-thing still gives me the creeps too. If it finds us, I can only hope for Valhalla."

"Orrr... we could just do what we did before," yawned Fishlegs. "Run."

"Mhm? And how do you suppose running is going to help?" asked Snotlout, stubborn and irritated with his arms crossed. "That thing is just going to find us again! I say we should fight back the next time it comes."

Arn sighed, shaking his head in a lazy manner as he sat up from laying against Toothless. "Snotlout, we don't even know if we're going to see it again. For all we know, we could have outran the damn thing. Can't you just-"

"Guys, can please we not?" interrupted Astrid, gazing back at the others. "The more we argue about this, the more time we waste. Sleep is what we need right now, and if we continue like this, then it'll take even longer for us to reach Nordell."

"As well as less time for the enemy to reach it; and before we can warn the elves," added Hiccup, gazing up at the sky with his head laid down against Toothless. "Every second counts."

"I would sleep if I could," replied Fishlegs, rubbing his eyes with his hand. "But the thought of that screech- it just…"

"I'm as anxious as you are, Fishlegs," nodded Astrid. "But we need to think of a way to get this out of our minds entirely. Maybe a story?"

"Storytime?!" gasped Tuffnut, as if he were an overexcited toddler. "Yes!"

"I think a story would definitely help in this case," agreed Hiccup. "Question is, who's going to tell it?"

"Why not let Arn do it?" suggested Snotlout. "He always has a story up his sleeve."

"Gah, why am I always the one telling the story?" asked Arn.

"Cuz your stories are interesting. Duh," replied Ruffnut. "Now are you gonna tell one or what?"

"I... guess I could," the lad nodded reluctantly. It was clear that he was not heavily in the mood. "What do you guys want for a story? It can be anything in particular. Past, present, legends…"

"Why don't you tell us about Valnr's past?" asked Astrid. "Surely this continent wasn't what it was back then, was it?"

"No, it wasn't," he responded, causing everyone slightly to lean in at attention, as well as with interest as Arn turned his gaze to the fire, and after a few seconds, he began to speak...

...

"Hundreds of years ago, Valnr was once a frozen wasteland. The whole continent was a barbaric place where dozens of viking tribes warred against each other for the thrill of battle and conquest, and only the strong ruled. It was either kill or be killed, and if you couldn't lift an axe, then an axe would be the last thing you'd ever see, before being cut down."

"On the snowy plains of battle, it wasn't unusual to see thousands of armored and fur-wearing vikings running to their deaths, with large mammoths and dragons riding on behind them. Everywhere was chaotic…"

"To fit the harsh environment, the warring tribes called the continent Isjörth, or "the" Isjörth. It meant Icy Land, and it was true to the name. Crops were impossible to grow in its cold weather, thus the only option for getting food was through hunting and scavenging, as well as raiding."

"For many years, massive conflicts between the tribes continued all over the continent, until one tribe had had enough of it, and sought to end the tribal wars. That tribe was my tribe; the Alsworn..."

"Before these events happened, it was said that a legendary warrior came down from the north beyond the Obsidian Mountains and joined the Alsworn, before becoming their chieftain shortly afterwards. He convinced the entire Alsworn that there were other ways of survival without having to make war, and that through peace, they could become stronger. It took some time, but through his words and influential actions, they denounced their old bloodthirsty chieftain, and agreed to follow the man as their new leader."

"But even with their new chieftain, the tribe couldn't end the fighting just like that. Back then, the Alsworn had only a few hundred in their ranks, and as such, the chieftain came up with a plan that involved fighting all of the tribes one by one. The Alsworn started with the smaller neighboring tribes, easily dismantling them; yet there was a catch to the chieftain's strategy of divide and conquer."

"He stated that any who surrendered would be offered a place within the Alsworn, and over the course of his campaign, more and more vikings were absorbed into the tribe. To the surprise of those who were subjugated, the Alsworn was unlike any tribe they had ever encountered before, for nearly all thought it better than their former tribes."

"Eventually, the Alsworn grew so large that they were able to take on the bigger tribes of the Southern Isjörth, leveling their fortresses and easily dominating them. Soon enough, the Alsworn tribe numbered in the thousands, and together, they prepared to assault the last tribe that stood in their way. The Viking Horde."

"With their combined might and numbers, the unified Alsworn marched upon the Viking Horde, eventually reaching their very citadel; a mighty structure that once towered over the same location where Aesilgard stands today... And what followed was a huge siege battle that lasted for nearly a week."

"Thousands died in the siege, but eventually, the great stone citadel was breached, and the Alsworn tribe swarmed the stronghold. The high chieftain marched to the throne room and cut down the tyrannical warlord of the Viking Horde, before bringing down the citadel itself with the might of hundreds of dragons, all of whom were freed from the other tribes that had enslaved them."

"After destroying the citadel, the chieftain of the Alsworn banished all of the survivors of the Viking Horde beyond the Obsidian Mountains, and into the Northern Isjörth. He swore to them that if they were to ever return, then they would be hunted down to extinction. Reluctantly, the Viking Horde remnants agreed to the terms and fled north, splitting off into separate tribes."

"With the tribes of the Isjörth now absorbed into the Alsworn, there were no longer any enemies to fight, and under their chieftain's guidance, an era of peace followed in the South. For the next one hundred years, the Alsworn grew and developed, building up the city of Aesilgard from the ashes of the great citadel. They advanced their civilization, and even began learning the early stages of magic through their first group of mages; shamans."

"But then the light elves and the dwarves came, and everything changed…"

"Interestingly enough, the two groups had actually landed on the continent by accident. The hundreds of elves and dwarves that arrived on the landmass wanted to find homes away from the rest of their kinds, as well as form their own kingdoms. However, they never anticipated finding an icy wasteland... or even finding each other as a matter of fact."

"After the Alsworn learned of their landing, they invited the two races over to Aesilgard. For months, the elves and the dwarves settled with the tribe, and overtime, both races began sharing their secrets with the Alsworn. The dwarves showed them how to further advance their technology, and even taught them the ability to tame gryphons. The elves on the other hand taught them how to use stronger forms of magic, and before the tribe knew it, their mages introduced them to the language that would change it all between man and dragon; Dragonese."

"Eventually, the racial bond between the three races grew so close that they soon became friends, and as such, the elves and dwarves wanted to further repay the Alsworn for their hospitality. The dwarves promised the tribe great riches beyond their imagining, but the elves had other plans…"

"As you know, these elves are known as 'light' elves for a reason. They are the only race in all the Nine Worlds specialized in light magic, for it runs in their very blood. To that, the elves went all across Southern Isjörth, and started channeling rituals of powerful light magic into the earth and sky, altering both the land and the weather so that life could finally bloom."

"And after a year went by, the snow finally began to melt…"

"Life began to grow all across the south of the continent, and the weather had begun to get warmer. For the first time ever, the season of spring came, and with it, the ability to grow crops."

"In response to the kindness of the elves and the dwarves, the Alsworn allowed the two races to pick whatever land they wanted to settle in, from which they could call their own. As such, the elves went west to build the realm of Nordell atop the cliffs, while the dwarves went north to mine out the kingdom of Dalgard within a great mountain."

"The Isjörth was no more. Valnr was now born…"

…

"...Hundreds of years later, the three races would also discover votun wandering in the southeast of Valnr," said Arn, turning his gaze from the fire. "But that's a story for another time... So, what did you guys think?"

Yet as he turned his head to face the other vikings, the only response he was given were the sounds of snoring coming from the Twins, and the sight of the group finally sleeping with their eyes completely shut.

"Well then…" exhaled Arn, leaning back against Toothless as he stared up at the cloudy day-light sky. "Looks like they got bored. Guess I'll just have to tell them the story again… when we have time."

A long moment of silence followed as Arn sat there with his back and head still leaning against the Night Fury, all whilst Hiccup, who laid next to him, quietly snored.

The blonde-headed lad tried closing his eyes so that he could allow the feeling of sleep to take him over, but as minutes continued passing by, he found himself still wide awake, not feeling the need to fall asleep, and thus the young viking became slightly irritated.

"Gah," he grunted, immediately opening his eyes. "This is ridiculous. I should be sleeping, and yet my body doesn't want me to? Hm. Maybe I should just take a walk until I get tired, even if it takes me an hour or two, I'm not going to sit here and do nothing."

As such, Arn was quick to stand to his feet, wiping himself off of any snow as his eyes gazed back at the fire.

"Let's see if I can make myself a torch…"

Before ending this chapter off, I would like to point something out to those who may have caught eye of this:

You guys may have noticed that I dropped the word gandálf a couple of times in this chapter. In Norse Mythology, gandálf means magic/staff elf, just like how ljósálf(ar) means light elf and dókkálf(ar) means dark elf. Each of these words ends with álf, which means elf in Norse.

Regardless of that however, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!

Thanks for reading!