Weeks had passed since his conversation with Ragnar and Hiccup are told no one of his discussion except for Mimir. Since then, he had been trying to focus on schoolwork.

There are currently in Combat Class which was being run by Gobber, which was more practical than anything else. Today all of them were armed with nothing, but a large wooden shield

"You all need to remember that your most important weapon is your shield," said Gobber as he marched up and down them.

"But isn't a shield is the added piece of armour?" said Snotlout.

"If used by inexperienced soldiers," Gobber scoffed. "As you can be used in many ways and today you'll be facing one another armed with only a shield. The rules are very simple; you have to knock your sparring partner onto the floor, and you can use whatever tricks you wish, be it strength or speed."

Astrid frowned. "But sir, some of us have more of an advantage over others so isn't this a little unfair?"

"You find on the battlefield is not always fair," said Gobber strictly. "You find that your opponents will not always be as honourable as you. Now I have already selected you your partners, and you will stick with them, and I understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" they all yelled.

Hiccup found himself sparring with Astrid, and he didn't need his foresight to know that he was going to end up with bruises all over his body.

"So I guess it's you and me," said Hiccup meekly.

"And soon it's only going to be me," Astrid smirked.

She then came charging in with incredible speed swinging her shield, but Hiccup had picked up the new trick ever since he came back to the Academy. He now had a bit more control over his foresight, and while he was unable to see the distant future, he could now see one second into the future.

Ordinarily, that wouldn't matter so much, but in the midst of combat that allowed him to see his enemy's movements in advance allowing him to dodge and counter. In so doing so, he quickly leaned back, avoiding Astrid's attack and then spun around and hit her with his own shield.

Astrid looked to the back of the head and looked mildly impressed. "I see you picked up a few new tricks."

"More than a few," said Hiccup as he raised his shield.

Hiccup was trying to sound confident, but the truth is constantly using this ability to drain a lot out of him. It was all right during training, but he really didn't want to risk it on the open battlefield.

Astrid noticed this and then moved with blinding speed slamming her shield into him with so much force that he was sent flying. Hiccup hit the ground hard 10 feet away from where he was about 10 seconds ago.

"But I do not the only one with a few new tricks," Hiccup winced.

"I see you're finally slowly mastering your ability of foresight," Gobber smiling at Hiccup. "But you have to work on your endurance if you wish to have full control over it." His eyes then turned towards Astrid. "And you, my dear, having working on your speed and strength, excellent work. Five points for House Thor for each of you."

Astrid then approached Hiccup. "You all right?"

Hiccup just smiled as he winced. "No sweat, shoulder should pop back into place at any moment."

Astrid shook her head and offered him her hand, which he gladly accepted.

They then turned and looked at the others, the twins were up against one another and then that was rather standard. Hiccup was slightly more concerned with the fact that Snotlout and Fishlegs were up against one another.

Astrid noted his concerns. "You're concerned about them, aren't you?"

"They're just poor opposites of one another," said Hiccup folding his arms.

"One could say the same about us," Astrid pointed out.

Hiccup shook his head. "Not really, I mean, we always think before we leap. Snotlout lets his muscles do the talking, and Fishlegs just does too much thinking."

"It doesn't help that he's rather timid, surprising giving the side of his body," Astrid agreed.

Fishlegs certainly did appear to be hanging back, in fact, he had launched one single attack. Snotlout, on the other hand, just kept on attacking, but there was no rhythm in his movements no clear plan. If Fishlegs wasn't being so timid, he could have acted on the many openings he was providing.

Gobber seemed to notice this and decided to intervene. "Stop! Stop!"

"But I was just about to finish him off!" Snotlout complained.

Gobber narrowed his eyes. "Son, I saw that half a dozen mistakes in your attacks. All you were doing was swinging your shield around with no plan of action."

"Of course I had a plan, it was to beat Fishface."

Gobber shook his head, then turned to Fishlegs. "And Fishlegs, you need to be more aggressive."

"But I'm not entirely comfortable with violence," said Fishlegs.

Saying I was almost heresy considering that his father is a god of war.

Gobber shook his head. "What am I going to do with you two?"

"You know I'm sometimes amazed that we are able to succeed on our quest with those two," said Astrid.

Hiccup hated to admit it, but she was right, he had massive respect for Fishlegs, but the war was on the horizon and like it or not they were going to be in the middle of it. Snotlout, on the other hand, while he was strong and Hiccup could depend on him in a fight, his ego and constant challenges to his authority did wear him pretty thin.

Hiccup's eyes then turned towards Heather who was fighting against Susan from House Odin. Just like with his fight with Astrid, she appeared to be able to anticipate all of Susan's attacks and counter. The only difference was she wasn't exhausted with each attack.

"Heather seems to be doing all right," Hiccup noted.

Astrid nodded. "Hard to believe that this is her first year here."

"She is an elf, meaning that she's probably well over 200 years old than us," Hiccup reminded her.

An elf's normal lifespan was about 1500 years, which meant that they mature a lot more slowly than humans. In fact, they aren't considered an adult until they reached 500 years, which was pretty harsh in Hiccup's opinion.

"True, but it clear that she had some kind of training before coming here," said Astrid suspiciously.

Hiccup remembered that Ragnar had mentioned that Heather wasn't being entirely truthful about her origins, but he did say that they could trust her. Indicating that he knew Heather and the fact that he was trusting a girl was enough evidence for Hiccup to trust her.

"I'm sure she has her reasons," said Hiccup.

"Still there something she's not telling us."

The lesson continued, and Snotlout and Fishlegs found themselves going through constant drills, he didn't appear to have improved in the slightest.

It was soon lunch everyone was eating the table.

"I think Gobber is losing his mind," said Fishlegs panting.

"He had was running all around the Academy," said Snotlout.

"Well, the two of you wasn't exactly star students today," said Hiccup.

"Hey, it's Fishface's fault, not mine!" Snotlout snapped.

"Not the way I heard it," said a voice.

They looked up and saw Eret looking down at them.

"What are you doing here?" Astrid asked, not bothering to hide her animosity.

"Heard of these two had a little problem with Combat Class today," said Eret the gesturing to Snotlout and Fishlegs.

"The problem was Gobber, he kept on thinking that I was doing everything wrong," Snotlout huffed folding his arms. "I mean that's ridiculous, isn't it?"

"It could unheard actually think would your next move would be," said Astrid.

Eret nodded. "Yeah, it's not all about brawn sometimes you have to use your wits to get the upper hand of your opponent. Thor doesn't just charge in swing his hammer without thinking despite what you might think. Even your father has to consider his actions before he makes a move."

"But Gobber kept on telling me that I was overthinking," Fishlegs frowned.

"Because sometimes you have to act before you think," said Eret.

Tuffnut looked at his sister. "Isn't that exactly the opposite of what he just said?"

Ruffnut was too busy looking dreamily at Eret to hear him. "Yeah."

"You're not making any sense," said Snotlout.

Eret sighed. "I'm just basically telling you that a warrior needs to think of his next move, but at the same time knows that overthinking could be just as dangerous. I know it doesn't make much sense, but at least try to take my advice."

Eret then left them, leaving them more confused than ever before.

"It is back. I think he is?" said Snotlout. "Acting as if even know it all."

"He did graduate from the Academy, that means he knows more than us," said Hiccup.

"I'm with Snotlout, something which I can't believe I'm saying, we shouldn't take what he says at face value," said Astrid.

"So you're saying that his advice to Snotlout and Fishlegs was a bunch of nonsense?" Hiccup asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sounded like it to me," said Tuffnut.

"He's a frost giant, I can't believe you trust him," said Astrid bewildered.

"Astrid, some of us, are actually related to giants including you," Hiccup pointed out. "But you're forgetting that he was sent here by your grandfather, my stepfather. You really going to question the wisdom of the All-Father?"

Astrid looked as if she wanted to but reluctantly relented.

After lunch, they had their afternoon lesson, which was science which was being taught by a dwarven Professor by the name of Orrik.

"Today I will be showing you a chemical reaction of certain elements," said Orrik. "And do please try to pay attention, I would hate for the lab to be destroyed in an explosion."

The word explosion certainly picked the twins interest, though no one decided to point out that he was trying to teach them how not to cause an explosion. All of them had been given lab partners and Hiccup and with Heather.

"So how are you finding school at the moment?" Hiccup asked.

"Some people don't know what to make of me," said Heather.

"Calling you names behind your back?" Hiccup assumed.

"Yep, I suppose they didn't get the memo that I have super hearing. I just try my best to ignore them, I wasn't exactly expecting a warm welcome when I came here."

"You seem to be settling in quite well," said Hiccup.

Heather sighed. "Maybe, but I can't but help the notice that your friend Astrid seems to be giving me the cold shoulder."

"She's just suspicious, we saw how well you do in combat class. I was quick to point out that you probably have 200 years experience over us."

Heather gave him a small smile. "Good guess, I'm actually 237 years old. Though I understand you humans have a hard time comprehending a 1500 year lifespan."

"Well, it's just hard to believe that you're considered a minor when you're less than 500 years old."

Heather giggled. "Yes, you humans would be considered babies where I'm from."

"Just don't go and change any nappies."

Heather smiled. "You're funny, you know that."

"If you too have been talking all this time I assume you know which chemicals you have to administer," said Orrik.

Hiccup cursed under his breath as he had failed to notice Orrik had approached them. He was giving them a rather stern look, no doubt assuming that they had not been listening to a single word he had said which was true.

"Of course we do," said Heather.

"Then why don't you demonstrate to the class," said Orrik gesturing all around them.

The members of House Loki sneered evilly, no doubt excited to watch them blow themselves up.

Hiccup whispered softly to her. "What are you doing? We weren't paying attention at all?"

Heather smiled. "Don't worry, I know what to do, and so do you."

Hiccup was confused by that statement not sure what she was getting at, but then he remembered his foresight. He would be able to use it in order to predict which chemical would have the reaction they needed, but the problem is you can do it constantly.

Fortunately, it appeared that Heather had been listening to Orrik or perhaps she had been watching their classmates closely while they were talking. It was hard to tell, but regardless she seemed to be doing an excellent job.

Orrik stopped her before she put in the last chemical in the experiment. "You certainly have proven that you know what you're doing Miss Heather, but I would like to see Mr Haddock proved to us that he had been listening."

Hiccup took a deep breath and looked to the chemicals on the desk, he then concentrated used his power of foresight. With it, he tried every single combination needed for the correct chemical reaction, and he found it.

He grabbed the blue chemical and ordered into their experiment, within moments, there was a huge flash, and a rainbow appeared directly over them. The looks on the Lokis was priceless as they watched.

Orrik nodded. "So it seems you have been paying attention, in that case, 10 points to House Thor."

Hiccup then fell back onto his chair with a sigh of relief, they managed to make it through the class.

"I knew you could do it," Heather smiled.

"That was a pretty big risk," said Hiccup looking at her. "What was your plan if I messed up?"

"Then I suppose we would have landed in detention," Heather shrugged.

Hiccup shook his head, and it was certainly going to be an interesting year, though he wasn't certain whether there was a good thing or not.