The sun was just starting to rise the next morning when Grim's ships was starting to arrive to the island that Branch and his team was hiding out at. Cooper had taken over guard duty about three hours ago and was playing his harmonica to help pass the time. As he saw a giant shadow make it's way to port he opened his eyes and gasped when he saw over a hundred ships heading right towards them. With a scream he dropped his harmonica and ran towards Branch's tent where he and Poppy slept.

"Branch, Branch wake up quick!" Cooper screamed as he shook Branch awake.

"Cooper what is it?" Branch asked as Poppy, and Scarlett woke up too.

"Grim is here, Grim is..."

Suddenly there was a loud boom that shook the ground. Everyone ran out of their tent as Grim's ships launched fireballs at their island.

"Everyone pair up in teams of two and stand your ground," Branch ordered "We are not going to let them take this island like they did the Troll Tree."

"What about Scarlett?" Poppy asked "And the other kids?"

"I'll take them," Suki volunteered running up to the group. "There is a cave not to far from here that they can hide in till this passes.

"Guard them with your life," Branch ordered. Suki nodded and ran off with Scarlett to gather the rest of the kids, doing her best to dodge the fireballs being flung their way.

Every troll ran towards the dock and pulled out their weapons as the first wave of ships, about twenty in all made their way to the dock. Branch scowled as he saw Grim standing aboard the first ship. Raising his hand he had his team wait till he gave the attack signal. Nobody said a word for the first minute as the first twenty ships parked at the doc, and neither Branch nor Grim took their eyes off each other as the two sides stared each other down. Then turning to his men he nodded and gave the command.

"Kill them all."

Then the doors opened and every troll on those first twenty ships stormed the dock. Lowering his hand Branch gave his command. "Attack!"

With that one word Branch's team gave chase, letting out a battle cry as they ran toward's Grim's army and clashed.

Poppy and Peppy both wielded an ax, each watching each other's back as they did battle with Grim's army.

"Poppy duck!" Peppy screamed as one of Grim's men swung a sword at her. Ducking, the hunter missed allowing Peppy to plant his ax in the hunter's head. Not missing a beat Peppy removed his ax, turned around and chucked it at another hunter, hitting him in the chest. Poppy meanwhile sliced a hunter behind the knee causing him to fall to his knees. Poppy grabbed the hunter by the hair and leaned his neck back as she glared into his eyes.

"This is for my home you bastard." Poppy then ran her ax's blade across the hunters neck slitting his throat. As the hunter fell dead the daughter and father duo ran towards the battle, screaming while swinging their axes like a wild animal, slicing every hunter that crossed them.

Reby and Heather made up the next team, with Heather's double wielded ax she was able to tackle two hunters at once. She stabbed one hunter in the chest, turned around and dug her other ax in a hunter's face, before turning and throwing it like a boomerang at another hunter decapitating the hunter before her ax came back to her.

"Where did you learn that move?" Reby asked.

"Years of practice," Heather replied before noticing a hunter coming from behind Reby, "Behind you!" Reby turned around and quickly fired her crossbow, shooting a arrow in the chest of the approaching hunter.

"Thanks Heather."

Suki didn't dare look behind her as she rushed the hundreds of kids from both their tribe and Raiders towards the cave. They was just approaching the cave when suddenly a arrow came flying and shot her in the back of her shoulder causing her to fall to the ground, grasping her shoulder.

"Suki!" Scarlett cried, running to wrap her arms around her injured friend. Suddenly more than a dozen hunters approached the kids, weapons drawn. Several of the kids started backing up as far as they could in fear, one of the older kids bent down towards Suki and grabbed her sword and pointed it at the hunter who shot Suki.

"Your the only one with a weapon kid," The hunter laughed "what's that one sword going to do?"

"Stand down boy," Suki pleaded grasping her injured shoulder "Don't get yourself killed like this."

"Your wrong," Scarlett then said to the surprise of Suki, "He's not the only one with a weapon," To the surprise of everyone Scarlett through a rock at the hunter, hitting him in the head. The boy with a sword then charged the group as the other kids picked up rocks to chunk at the hunters.

As the main part of the battle took place on the beach Grim brushed aside several of his top men as he searched for his main target, who he saw battling alongside Raider.

"Branch!" Grim screamed, wielding a ax in one hand and a sword in the other. "This time you die!" Grim swung his ax at Branch, Branch barely had time to react, swinging his fire sword and swiftly blocked it.

"Branch!" Raider cried out.

"I'm fine, you deal with the others I got this" Branch replied as he lowered his sword and swung it only for Grim to block it with his ax. The two of them continued to clash weapons, neither one of them being able to get the upper hand over each other."

"Haven't you learned from now Branch?" Grim taunted as he once again blocked Branch's strike "You cannot win, you have been battling for years, taking down ship after ship, only for more to come in their place. You know why that is Branch? Because despite your best efforts you will never rid the world of dragon hunting. Even if you do manage to strike me down, someone else will take my place and continue where I left off. Dragon hunting isn't illegal in my tribe, or the rest of my allies tribes. You picked a fight you cannot win, and because of it, you have led your people to their deaths." Grim then sliced Branch in the arm knocking him to the ground and causing his sword to get knocked out of his hand.

"Look behind me Branch," Grim taunted, "You see what's on that upcoming ship? That is the Poisonous gas sprayer, the one that took out Dragon's Edge, and now the one that will kill all of you. You brought this thing here Branch, and now you will get to die, watching it poison you, and all of your friends and allies." Branch's eyes widened in fear as he watched the ship with the giant beast approach his home more and more. Grim then kicked Branch to the ground and put his foot on his chest to prevent him from moving. "But don't worry, I will kill you before the poison does, you deserve to be the first one to die."

Grim then heard a blast coming from behind him. turning around he saw a whole heard of dragons attacking the ship with the gas sprayer.

"What is going on?" Grim gasped.

"What in the name of Thor?" Branch gasped. That couldn't be their dragons, because Jo was supposed to have taken their dragons to the Hidden world.

At the ship Jo was taking out a arrow laced with the remedy that would overpower the Mind Warper's affect.

"Okay if I am remembering right one carefully aimed arrow should do the trick," Jo said to herself as she loaded her arrow. "I'm not the shot that Reby is so this better work."

The Gas Sprayer turned toward Jo and prepared to fire, closing her eyes Jo fired her arrow, striking the gas sprayer in the shoulder. The Gas sprayer fell causing the ship to crumble under his weight, several dragons flew down to pick up the Gas Sprayer to prevent it from sinking with the ship, then they flew the Gas Sprayer towards the island. With a smile Jo led the dragons toward the island, making sure to make a special stop to the evil troll that led that mind controlled dragon to them.

"Your secret weapon is gone." Jo growled before turning her attention towards Branch. "Please don't get mad at me, Cloud Guy told me to bring them here, something about backup."

To her surprise Branch just smiled "You did good Jo." Then with a added force of momentum Branch kicked Grim off of him, grabbed his fire sword and lunged at Grim again.

Jo landed all of the dragons from the Hidden World on the island, raising her sword, she pointed at the enemy and with a loud roar the dragons charged.

Quickly disarming Grim momentarily Branch turned to his riders, "Take your dragons and take out those ships with the fireballs."

"You mean we actually get to ride them again?" Guy Diamond asked.

"One last ride, now go!"

"You heard the Chief!" Smidge screamed "Let's go!" With that the riders, minus Suki and Branch jumped on their dragons and charged the ships.

"Oh yeah," The twins screamed in excitement as they charged the more than a dozen ships shooting fireballs at their island. "If this is how we go out we are going out in a blaze of glory!" Ash and Cinder then shot out a fire blast and caused the ship to explode.

"One down," Chenille cheered.

"Eighteen to go!" Satin finished.

"Let's do this boy!" Biggie encouraged as Sapphire flew towards the next ship, the hunters took out their weapons and started firing at Biggie but Sapphire shot out molten lava that caused the wood of the catapult to break, sending the burning boulder crumbling on top of the hunters and lighting their ship on fire.

Next Fuzzbert flew his dragon, a wood shredder right towards the ship, his dragon was special equipped to cut throw anything made of wood, with the slash of it's wings the ship sunk.

"Nice one Fuzzbert!" Chenille screamed.

"You go Fuzzy!" Satin added.

"Let's finish these bastards!" Reby screamed as the riders charged the remaining ships.

With the dragons by their side the battle was starting to shift more into Branch's favor. With a mace in one hand in a sword in the other Jo and Hurricane fought side by side taking out every hunter that dare charged them. One hunter charged Jo with a mace only for Hurricane to whip him from behind with her tail, allowing Jo to plant her own mace in the hunters head, she followed that by swinging her sword one hundred and eighty degrees and slicing the chest of a hunter behind her, then getting on top of Hurricane she had Hurricane shoot a big wave of fire at several hunters, frying them.

Raider and Branch tag teamed Grim, but despite their combined forces Grim was still refusing to go down. Branch and Raider took either side of Grim, hoping that by surrounding him that he would not be able to defend them both, but calculating both their moves, he was able to block both their blows. Blocking Raider's next attack Grim quickly followed and sliced the back of Raider's leg with his sword causing her to fall to her knees.

"No!" Branch screamed lunging at Grim. Branch swung his fire sword wildly, hoping beyond hope to break through Grim's two weapons, Grim easily kept blocking them without even breaking a sweat, chuckling to himself as Branch continued to strike at him.

"Give it up Branch, you know you are no match for me. you think bringing your precious dragons here as backup will weaken us? All you have done is deliver them to us on a silver platter. Your friends won't be able to stop all my ships, the ones they are firing at are just the decoys."

"What?"

Back at the docks Fuzzbert and his dragonssliced through the last of the ships firing the fireballs.

"That's the last of them." Heather replied

"Good, let's get back on land and help Branch." Reby added. Biggie raised his hand halfway noticing something off in the distance.

"Um, I wouldn't be so sure about that."

Suddenly large metal ship rose from the ocean, it had five large metal catapults attached to it, with giant boulders lit on fire. The riders watched helplessly as the boulders shot at the island.

"No!" Reby screamed.

Branch watched as the burning boulders launched towards him, turning to his team he screamed for them to get down.

"Head for cover!"

BOOM!

Branch suddenly found himself on the floor, his ears ringing, his vision blurred he heard the sounds of more of Grim's men storming towards him.

"Raider? Jo? Anyone?"

"I can't see," Branch heard Raider cry out. Raider was laying on the ground beside him, the left side of her body had been scorched and covered in ash from the impact of the hit, the boulder had landed just a couple feet in front of them before the impact had sent them flying across the dock "I can't see a thing!"

"I'm here!" Branch cried out as he took Raider's hand.

"Branch," Raider cried "I'm sorry, I have failed you."

"No," Branch replied "I'm sorry, for dragging you into this, for dragging everyone into this."

Branch looked around him, Jo was crawling on her belly, a trail of her own blood trailing her. A couple of Raider's tribe members were hiding behind a rocks as more rocks came flying towards them. The entire island was burning, just like the troll tree. One of his on tribe trolls was running across the island, crying out for his brother before several hunters ambushed him and ran their swords through him. Other trolls were running for shelter, trying to hide from the slaughter that was happening around them.

"Branch!" Smidge cried out as his riders landed back on the dock.

"Run," Branch whispered, "Save yourselves."

Suddenly Sapphire jumped in front of the team taking a arrow to the neck before falling just a inches in front of Biggie.

"No!" Biggie cried cradling Sapphire. Out of anger Reby took out her crossbow and shot the hunter that killed Sapphire before turning to Branch looking for answers.

Looking around seeing his team around him dying Branch remembered what Cloud Guy told him.

A chief must be risk it all for their people and give their lives if they must.

Branch sighed as he turned to Poppy, knowing what had to be done. "Poppy, get every troll out of here."

"But you said we wouldn't be running this time?"

"I won't be, but you must get out of here, you all must get out of here."

"Branch no, we stick together," Reby protested "We always have."

"Look around you, trolls are dying, our team is to wounded, if you don't get out of here now we all die."

"But Branch?" Guy Diamond protested.

"I am chief, this is my home, I have to stay and defend it no matter what, but without trolls, there is nothing to defend. I can get you out of here, I can beat them. I can die today, for all of you to live tomorrow."

"No, Branch, please," Reby begged "You can't die, you just can't."

"Reby," Poppy replied depressed, remembering her vision. "He has to."

"Poppy?" Heather gasped.

Poppy didn't respond as she walked up to Branch took him by the hand and gave him a goodbye kiss. "I will get them safe."

As she let go of his hand she saw the Troll Tree pin in her hand, the sign of the chief wore proudly by every chief to rule over the troll tree. "I know you will my love."

Branch bent down to Raider and helped him off the floor, "I need to borrow Shadow and your ax,"

"You use that lightning ax without armor it will kill you."

"I know, but I need it anyway."

"Branch?"

"No time to argue, you are hurt your getting out of here, everyone is getting out of here." Branch whistled to Melody who flew up to him. Branch put Raider on Melody's back then patted her on the shoulder.

"Get her to safety." Melody nodded and flew off as Branch turned to his team and gave his last ever order to them. "Go." Despite their doubts they nodded and separated in order to get every last troll off the island. Grabbing Raider's ax in one hand and his fire sword in the other Branch got on Shadow and patted her on the shoulder.

"Take me to that metal ship." Shadow nodded and took off. Closing his eyes Branch let out a sigh knowing that this was going to be a suicide mission. "Cloud Guy, I need you."

On the ground Reby ran up to Jo and helped her off the ground. "We are retreating, Branch's orders."

"But what about?"

"Branch is staying behind he is fighting them off."

"But?"

"Jo, it's the only way to save everyone."

Through tear strung eyes, Jo nodded in understanding, before saddling up on Hurricane.

"Father!" Poppy cried out searching the burning island for her father.

"Over here," a hand waved about ten feet in front of her. Running over she saw Peppy's leg caught on a fallen tree stump.

"Oh my Gah," Poppy cried running over to try to remove the tree stump off her father's leg, she lifted with all her strength but despite all her strength she couldn't lift the stump.

"Don't worry about me, save yourself."

"No dad I'm not leaving you," Poppy then turned and hollered out for help. "Biggie, Smidge, I need you."

"Oh my Gah, Peppy," Smidge cried when she and Biggie ran up and saw Peppy's situation.

"Help me lift this stump." Poppy cried, nodding Biggie went to Poppy's left while Smidge went to the right, bending down and grabbing the bottom of the stump they lifted, this time raising it just enough for Peppy to drag his leg out.

"Get him on Starfire," Poppy ordered her two friends, I'm going to look for more." Biggie and Smidge nodded and took off with Peppy while Poppy went off to help the rest of the island evacuate.

Heather ran towards the cave where Suki took the kids, when she got there she was surprised to see several hunters laying on the grass unconscious while a kid was bandaging up Suki's shoulder.

"What happened here?"

"Long story,"

Heather didn't ask any more questions as she helped Suki to fer feet and gathered the kids.

"We're evacuating? Please don't ask, I'll explain on the way, that's another long story."

As his allies evacuated Branch made his way to the ship firing the flaming boulders. As he requested Cloud Guy floated down to him.

"So you now understand what must be done?"

"I do, and I except it." Branch raised his ax. "Ignite it."

Without another word Cloud guy shot out lighting towards the ax, igniting it. With a scream the lighting traveled throughout Branch's body as well as Shadow's. Shadow opened his mouth and shot out a giant electric blast on top of the lighting shooting out from Branch's ax. the combined strikes caused the ship to electrocute and explode in a gulf of flames. Branch then turned to the rest of the ships shooting lightning at all of them blasting them each with one strike.

"What is he doing?" Grim gasped as he watched what was happening to his ships. "What is he doing?"

As he blasted the last ship he saw his friends and allies flying their dragons off the island to safety. Smiling he turned to the island shooting lighting from the ax as he charged them. Grim and his men had to duck to avoid the lighting. But it did little good as Branch leaped off Shadow, electricity still flowing through his body and slammed his ax into the ground, electrocuting Grim and every last hunter on the island.

As his ax cooled down, Branch felt the effects of the electricity killing him, but he still had one last hunter to take care of. Walking through the charred corpses of the hunters he electrocuted he saw Grim, near death laying on the ground.

"You bloody fool," Grim whispered "You kill yourself, just to kill me, who will protect the dragon's when you are gone?"

"Someone will always be there to protect them," Branch replied in a weak voice, "But as long as there is no one like you on this Earth to harm them, they will always be safe. Using what little strength he had left he grabbed Grim by the collar, grabbed his flaming sword, lit it and ran it through Grim's chest and watched as he burned to death screaming while impaled on Branch's sword.

As he dropped Grim's charred body, Branch fell to his knees, bloodied, burnt, weak, he was dying, the effects of the electricity going through him was killing him, but it was over, the hunters were gone, he was victorious.

"It's over Cloud Guy," Branch whispered in a weak voice, "the war... it's over."

With those war Branch closed his eyes and fell.

What? I've been hinting at this since chapter one, please put the pitchforks down. I'm going into hiding now.