"Hey!" Historia yelled, chasing after some children. "You get back here!"

Hiccup, Ragnar, Fishlegs and Snotlout watched as she began chasing after the children. It had been two months since her coronation, and one of the first things she issued was creating an orphanage at her old home.

"Nice Palace," Snotlout muttered.

"Yeah, she's not exactly regal," Fishlegs admitted.

"Well, It's only been two months since she was crowned, but it seems like she would rather run an orphanage than a kingdom," said Snotlout.

"She probably doesn't see much difference between the two; after all, the nobles can sometimes act like spoiled children," Hiccup joked. "Have you heard the new name people have come up for her? They call her the Cattle Farming Goddess; I think it's a term of endearment."

"Hardly the first time she's been called goddess," said Snotlout and then sneered at Ragnar. "If this keeps up, I bet they'll forget the champ that plugged up the hole in Trost."

Ragnar raised an eyebrow. "And you think I don't want them to forget?"

"Besides, this is part of why Historia agreed to become queen in the first place, so she could do all this," said Ragnar.

"Do what?" Fishlegs frowned.

"She went to the Underground to the edge of the Walls and found all the orphan she could find. She even got the captain into it since he grew up underground."

Ragnar nodded. "That's just too she is; she just can't ignore someone who needs help even when they aren't asking for it."

"Slacking off again, huh?" said Historia approaching them. "It's getting dark, you know!"

A few seconds later, they began carrying crates to the farmhouse.

"Power has changed her; she reminds me of my mother," said Snotlout.

"Goddesses can be cruel," Hiccup pointed out.

"You can hardly argue with one when there your commander-in-chief," Fishlegs added.

Historia and looked at Ragnar. "So you're practising hardening; I hear it's going well."

"It is, but we need to hurry before they come back," said Ragnar.

Historia knew who he was referring to. "What will you do? If you found Dogsbreath and Clueless and had to face them again?"

"I guess I'd have to kill," said Ragnar with a heavy heart. "No choice."

"I hope we find out soon about this world and how it became this? After all that we've done, I don't want to end up with any regrets."

The two of them then watched as children played in the fields.

"Even the kids from the underground have been smiling lately; I refuse to think that this was the wrong choice."

"Don't sell yourself short; you've done some good things here. Which is ironic considering how you said humanity should be wiped out."

"Oh, come on, I got carried away!"

Ragnar laughed. "I'm only messing with you."

"Don't forget who's Queen!"

Everyone then laughed.

'As part of the coup d'état, the military had to purge people considerable talent from its ranks, but discoveries such as the glowing ore in the underground cavern counteracted these losses. Also, thanks to Ragnar's hardening ability, a powerful new and Anti Titan weapon was invented.'

Hiccup, Valka and Fishlegs worked tirelessly to create this new weapon. It was rather simplistic in its design. Basically, it was a huge wooden hammer that would slam on top of the Titan's nape. The hard part was for Ragnar to mould the front gate in Trost to use it, and they were unsure whether it was powerful enough to work.

A consequence of the coup d'état also freed the military to do what it wanted with the Wall despite the protests of the Wall Cult. This allowed them to mount the new weapon on top of the Wall and gave Ragnar free reign to change its layout slightly.

Stout was now leading a 12 m Titan into the opening. The opening was large enough for a human but not enough for a Titan as it tried to reach, enforcing it to position its innate beneath the hammer.

"That's it, jam your big head in here," said the Scout. Once the Titan was in position, he immediately turned. "Do it now!"

A stout then slammed an axe on the mechanism that released the hammer, and it slammed with incredible force right down on the neck of the Titan. Everyone was watching the scene from the top of the Wall, looking rather anxious.

"That hit it right on the nape of its neck," said Valka.

"Moment of truth," said Hiccup.

They all looked at the Titan and then suddenly saw steam exiting from the large gaping hole in the back of its neck.

"We did it!" Valka cheered. "That's a 12 m we crushed!"

"It worked," said Ragnar falling to his knees.

"With this, we can kill type without putting any soldiers at risk," Valka smiled. "We can hack down those bastards all day and night. That is the beauty of Thor Hammer! We did it, Ragnar!"

She then turned her head and saw Ragnar was coughing out some blood.

"Ragnar?" Valka stared as Eret handed him a handkerchief.

"It looks like you must've overused his Titan abilities; he's been doing hardening experiments for days," said Eret.

"I'm sorry we have to put you through this, Ragnar," said Hiccup.

"Now there's nothing to apologise for; we can't just lowdown just because we're tired," he said. "I'm fine unless I just made these weapons work quickly and then go to Berk."

They made their way back to the barracks, and later that night, they told everyone the success of the new weapon.

"That's great," said Wartihog, who had now join the Scouts. "With weapons like that, killing Titans will be as easy as breathing."

"You're so damn excitable," said Snotlout. "You should know better than to be this pumped about joining the Scouts."

"That reminds me, it didn't Hitch tried to convince you to stay an MP?" Heather frowned.

"Wait? Hitch?" he frowned. "How come?"

"Because she's a thirsty girl, and she thinks that you're a tall glass of water," Ruffnut smiled.

"Can't say I follow, but Hitch did tell me off before," he said. "Saying that I wasn't cut out to be a real soldier, she told me I should stop acting cool and just coast along in life. I had thought she was better than that, so I told her that I was wrong about her?"

Everyone immediately groaned and shook their heads.

"Asshole," said Snotlout.

"Are you that dumb, Wartihog?" said Fishlegs.

"Even the twins a smart that," said Heather.

"Yeah, I would never say such a thing," said Tuffnut.

"Well, moving right along," said Hiccup. "You should notice that the only people as excited as you are the new recruits with no real battle experience."

It was true that the Scouts had replenished their ranks by asking members of other regiments to join up. Sadly, the only ones that joined up were rather young who had barely seen any battle.

"Give me a break," said a guy with blazing red hair. "You think that you're some kind of hardened veteran now?"

Hiccup recognised him, his name was Floch Forster, and he was tragically the ringleader of the new recruits.

"I know I am compared to you at least," said Hiccup simply.

"That's rude; we were in the 104th same as you," said Floch. "Besides, we're not the only ones excited. Everyone in the Walls is, we're taking Wall Maria back we're finally winning."

"You think so?"

Floch then noticed the looks on their eyes. "Well, you guys do seem a little different now. There's something about your faces. What exactly happens?"

Hiccup looked at him. "Do you really want to know?"

"No, I'll ask some other time," he said and then made his way back to his table for his friends.

The twins then rose to their feet.

"We're out," said Ruffnut.

"Yeah, see you later," said Tuffnut.

"Huh? Now?" Fishlegs blinked.

"Tomorrow is supposed to be a prep day, so we're planning to head to our village in the morning," Tuffnut explained.

"Yeah, there's a chance we might find something new there," said Ruffnut as they walked away with their plates. "Good night."

All of them were silent as they knew the twins were just going to visit their mum.

"You think we can turn the twin's mother back to normal someday?" Heather asked. "I mean, it's not impossible, is it?"

"Well, if our knowledge about Titans continues to improve, then yeah, maybe," said Hiccup.

Ragnar just sat there thinking about the truth they had discovered about the Titans.

"So much as happened that I haven't had time to question it," said Ragnar. "But who do you think you guys think we're fighting against? I'm starting to think whether they are just people being tormented by some nightmare. For a time at least, I was one of them myself."

"I admit that I always wanted to kill all the Titans; now it seems as if they're nothing more than victims of some unknown enemy," said Astrid.

"I'm afraid this conversation is academic until we get more answers," said Hiccup. "And if the Titans are victims, then killing them may be mercy."

"You've certainly changed; you never used to talk like that," said Fishlegs giving him a concerned look.

Hiccup sighed. "Well, after everything we've been through, I would be surprised if none of us has changed through that experience."

"No kidding," said Snotlout and looking at Ragnar. "And perhaps it's a waste of your time with philosophy; maybe you should be more focused on that guy you saw. From the memories you are given when Johann and Historia touched you, you said that you saw a Scout that must've known you, mum, right?"

"Yeah, I think he might have been with my mum when the Wall fell," said Ragnar as he drank. "If he's alive, he'd know something. He seemed so familiar, I can't shake the feeling that I've met him somewhere?"

"You mean that he seemed familiar to you or your mum?" Hiccup asked.

"May I think."

"Maybe you should smack yourself in the head," Snotlout offered. "I speak from experience when I say getting hit in the head as a way of bringing out the sensors."

"You can ask for it, though," said Heather as she drank.

"The likelihood that he's alive is small," said Hiccup. "I mean, from your description, he seemed to be quite old, maybe even older than my dad. Plus, let's not forget the life expectancy of a Scout is quite small. I mean, look how many Scouts came back from the expeditions from beyond the Walls."

Ragnar's eyes widened. "Hey, wait…" Thinking back to when the Scouts had returned from their last expedition beyond the Wall, Ragnar remembered the Scout Commander. He then immediately rose to his feet. "That's who I saw with my mum! The former Commander of the Scout Regiment!"

Hiccup and the others immediately confronted Eret and Valka with this information, and they quickly contacted Gobber. Gobber that he kept in touch with the former Commander and knew where he was residing.

"His name is Gunner Wadson, and he was at 12th Commander of the Scout Regiment, Stoick's predecessor," Gobber explained. "No sooner had Wall Maria fell, he immediately retired and has been living up in the foothills within the interior. I kept in touch with him every now, and then so I know where he lives."

They finally reached a small cabin within the foothills, and meeting them was a man, who had to be roughly the same age as Gobber. He certainly looked a lot healthier than the last time Ragnar saw him, not suffering from any battle fatigue.

"Commander Gunner," said Ragnar.

Gunner looked at him and didn't look surprised to see him.

He led them inside and offered them some tea, and every single one of them looked at him in silence.

"So these are your formal recruits Gobber," said Gunner looking at them all. "I can definitely tell by looking at them they've seen plenty of action."

"I barely recognise them from their days as cadets," Gobber admitted.

"So, Commander Gunner," said Valka frowning. "Or perhaps I should call you Mr Wadson now. We should be prepping to recapture Wall Maira, but tell me, why do you suppose we came to speak with you instead?"

Gunner looked at Ragnar. "Ragnar, you resemble your father in almost every way. However, the daggers I see within your eyes those belonging to your mother."

"Tell me about her," said Ragnar as he rose to his feet. "Tell me everything you know!"

"I don't know much at all, not in the grand scheme of things. That said, I'll tell you a story that's of no value whatsoever to humanity. The story of my past, as nothing more than a bystander. 20 years ago, near Wall Maria, I found her standing outside of the gate to Berk."

A young Gunner had been doing some patrols around the gate when he came across Freida.

"Hey! What are you doing?" he said, looking at her astonished. "How did you get here? Did you climb down the Wall somehow?"

"Wait?" Freida stared. "Why would any of you venture outside the Walls? Don't tell me you're trying to fight those things?"

Gunner just stared at her; it was like she knew nothing about the Scout Regiment at all.

'Was it the truth or a lie? She said that she couldn't remember why she was outside the Walls. All of her memories had been lost, everything aside from her name… Freida Keatson.'

Gunner quickly took her back inside, and she was immediately put into a cell, but the only ones who knew about her going outside were him in a prison guard Finn.

"Who knew it was a crime to go into Titan territorial without permission?" said Finn. "I bet she's the first woman who's tried it. I mean, I always thought you Scouts were dumb enough to go out there, but I have to say she's quite the looker."

Gunner raised an eyebrow. "Something tells me there's also a law that jailed idiots who drink on duty. Hey, Finn?"

"Anyway, it's not like she actually hurt anybody, so let's just keep it to ourselves," said Finn. "Besides, it doesn't feel right trapping such a pretty face behind bars."

"Yeah," Gunner agreed.

With that, they escorted her out of the jail cell without anyone the wiser.

"So, Freida, do you have any idea where to go from here?" Gunner asked. "Maybe I can help?"

"There is one thing that I remember a site for my name; I was a doctor," she said. "Introduce me to a hospital; I should be able to help there."

"Huh?" said Gunner curiously.

"Also, do you think you can teach me about this world, I mean and about the Scouts too? About everything inside the Walls."

Gunner agreed; it was rather late to take her to the nearest hospital, so they spend the night at the tavern, and he began explaining to her about the world they lived in.

'She truly appeared to know nothing at all, not about this world, not about anything.'

"I see; although there is inequality, life in the Walls is largely peaceful, and if nothing else, you aren't living in constant fear of the Titans," she said. "That's good."

"You think so, do you?" Gunner scoffed. "That means you're just like the rest."

Freida frowned. "Huh?"

"We're trapped inside these walls, but so long as there's plenty of food and alcohol to go round, most people just fine with that. In the whole lives, they'll never question how wide the world might be."

"Is that why you risk your life to venture outside the Walls? To see how wide the world is?"

"That's right. Does it seem foolish?"

"No, quite the opposite, the Scouts are wiser and braver than anyone else living in the Walls. Their very existence is living proof that the imagination and soul of mankind are still free."

Gunner was quite taken aback. "That's what you think? Seriously?"

"Yes."

"What's this, Gunner?" said the barmaid tapping him on the head with her tray. "You better not be recruiting for the Scouts again."

"No, not this time, Sigrid. I was just—"

"Oh no, I'm not really suited for that kind of work," said Freida. "It takes someone special to become a Scout. You have to be a chosen one."

"That's one way to put it," said Sigrid as she walked away.

Gunner took Freida's words to heart and then started to put everything he had into the Scouts.

'I was a chosen one; that was the first time anyone had told me that. But I knew that those Walls were far too cramped for me.'

The Scouts had given a mission to create a base outside the Walls, but expedition after expedition resulted in failure.

"So this expedition failed as well," said a nobleman looking at the Commander.

"Will you finish the base outside the Wall?"

'If only I was commander, I could show results,' said Gunner. 'As idiotic, these people are either accomplished so much that they might understand and then everyone will have to acknowledge me.'

A couple of years later, Berk suffered from a plague, and Sigrid had caught it. Gunner immediately took her to the clinic, which Freida was now in charge of.

"Freida! Sigrid caught the plague that's going around!" said Gunner desperately. "They say there is no cure, but—"

Freida immediately rushed over to him. "Put her in the rear bed, next to Finn's brother!"

Sigrid then caught her arm. "Please, Freida, my mum and dad, they've gotten sick too."

"Not to worry, I'll help everyone," she assured her.

Freida worked day and night to find a cure and eventually managed to find it.

"Doctor, it's a miracle!" said Finn. " My brother is well again!"

"Freida, thank you so much," said Sigrid.

Gunner had been helping with the supplies and then noticed that Sigrid appeared to be holding hands with Finn's brother.

A few months later, he had been given a promotion and was made the new Commander of the Scout Regiment.

"You are hereby appointed Commander of the Scout Regiment!" said the military official.

"Well done, you'll do great!"

"Congratulations!"

However, he didn't feel too happy because a few days ago, he had been at Berk to witness Sigrid getting married to Finn's brother.

"Congratulations, Sigrid," said Freida.

Then, to make matters worse, the base had been destroyed by Titans during one of his expeditions.

"Shit, our base!" said a Scout. "It's no use; we've got to retreat! Commander!"

They soon returned to Berk, but they had been absolutely devastated.

"The moron keeps on leading his men straight into death. Yet he is always the only one that lives."

"That's not quite true; I heard that no one in Stoick's squad has died yet."

"Then maybe he should be commander."

Gunner could hear the criticisms, and he couldn't really disagree with them. 'Someone special? A chosen one?'

"Gunner," said a voice.

Gunner's eyes widened when he saw Freida holding a baby boy in her hands.

"Freida," he said, approaching her. "Who's the kid?"

"Ragnar, my baby boy," she smiled. "It's a long story. You know I do worry about you."

"Yeah, I'm sorry," he said.

"Are you planning to keep this up until you get yourself killed?" Freida asked.

"You want to know why most people live and die without accomplishing a single damn thing?" Gunner spat. "It's because they lost their imaginations! They complacently wait for their entire lives, ashamed by the fact that all they'll accomplish to the world is shit! Such people are little more than cattle! They can't even comprehend greatness, not when it's right in front of them!"

'It's true, normal people cannot accomplish a thing.'

Then a few years later, Gunner had finally had enough after seeing so many bends his command die and others being mangled like Gobber.

"Hey, Stoick," he said. "I want you to take my command."

'Special people do exist; all these means was that I was never one of them. It's such an obvious fact; why couldn't I see it?'

A few hours later, he had arrived at Trost, and if his day can get any worse, something terrible happened.

"Wall Maria has fallen! Berk District was demolished! They're going to come to Trost next!"

People immediately start panicking, shoving past Gunner.

"Gunner!" a familiar voice yelled.

Gunner turned around, and his eyes fell upon Freida, who had a frantic look on her face.

'Oh yeah, that's why it's because of what you said.'

Freida asked for his assistance to find her son, and they found him in the shelter with the rest of his friends. However, there was no sign of Sigrid.

"Ragnar, wake up, Ragnar," she said, shaking him.

"Mum, is that you?" said Ragnar looking exhausted.

"It's me, thank the gods you and the others are alive," she said, hugging him.

"Not all of us," said Ragnar. "Astrid's mum was trapped, and a Titan came."

Freida and Gunner's eyes widened in horror.

"It ate her," Ragnar finished.

Gunner was completely devastated and fell to his knees.

Freida's expression was unreadable. "Ragnar, you're going to have to be strong, okay. You have to be for the others, for all of us. I know that you can. Let's go."

Gunner just watched as she began to score Ragnar out of the shelter.

"Hold on, where are you going?"

"Please don't follow us."

Gunner ignored her and followed her out of the shelter. "Freida… why don't you be strong for everyone else? I know you can do it; all this time, you were the one that was special. I know that I never was, but what if that boy is the same as me? What if he isn't the chosen one either? It Ragnar next… will you curse him too now?"

Freida looked at him. "I never said you were chosen; I was referencing to the Scouts as a whole. However, I know that Ragnar and his friends are, and they'll put themselves in danger regardless of what I do. The least I can do is give them a chance, so please don't get involved. What goes on between me and Ragnar is a family affair."

Gunner just watched as he escorted Ragnar into the forest, then half an hour later, he saw a flash of light.

"That light?" he said and then went to investigate.

He reached a clearing, but all he found was Ragnar unconscious on the ground, and there was no sign of Freida. With nothing else to do, he carried Ragnar and brought him back to the shelter and leaving none much the wiser.

'After I found you, I carried our unconscious body back to the shelter and left. And that is everything I know.'

All of them just sat there looking at Gunner.

"So that's it?" said Ragnar. "I see."

Valka narrowed her eyes at him. "At least now I know the real reason you chose to retire. Not to atone for the soldiers you got killed, because you realise that you weren't a special snowflake. Just a delusional self-centred child."

"Layoff him, Valka," said Eret.

"You have no right to keep all of this to yourself just a spur your own ego!" Valka spat furiously. "We've pledged to give our lives and our hearts for the good of mankind!"

"Valka, calm down," said Gobber putting a hand on her shoulder.

"You of all people should agree with me," said Valka. "It's because of his leadership, and you end up being mangled."

"I didn't say I wasn't furious, but yelling at him won't change a damn thing."

Valka looked as if she wanted to argue some more but held her tongue.

"Either way, this one question has just led to many more," said Ragnar as he leaned back in his chair. "I feel like I'm never going to find out who my mother truly was?"

Gunner looked at him. "Your mother was the most determined woman I have ever met, and that is the quality you've inherited."

Once they got all the information they needed, they left Gunner's home, and he just stood there watching as they galloped into the distance.