The four combatants fell towards the island as the stone sucked away the energy of the Black Death, decreasing his size. Toothless managed to grab Hiccup before the beast collided with ground below it.

The impact left a streak of brown dirt as the now regular-sized Black Death drug against the ground, its master rolling behind it. Toothless landed near where the two had fallen. The Black Death lied motionless against a tree, its mouth slightly opened and its chest no longer in motion. Romulus lie on his back, a streak of blood coming out of the left side of his mouth. His eyes lay fixed on the black stone that landed merely inches from his fingers, which now wiggled slowly, but surely, towards it. Hiccup walked over to him and stabbed his sword between the man and his prize. Romulus' green eyes turned towards the young man.

"Are you proud of what you've done?" Romulus asked. "Destroyed an empire, got entire armies of Vikings killed, and caused the extinction of one of the rarest breeds of dragons."

Hiccup stared at the villain, who in his last breathes was attempting to make Hiccup the bad guy.

"You mean everything that you've done one-hundred fold." He responded.

"I did everything for the glory of my people."

Hiccup crouched next to his uncle, placed one knee on the ground beside him, and removed his helmet.

"Is that how you've been deluding yourself this entire time? Look at how many lives that you've ended, houses you've destroyed, and families you've separated. Not even your own family was safe from your ambition"

Romulus looked intently at Hiccup, taking into account all of his features.

"By the Gods, you really are my nephew, aren't you? Valka survived the burning of the palace." The sudden realization hit him over like a wave. "The prophecy was never about me, it was about you." He began to laugh. "I was an idiot, all this time." Tears began to flow from his eyes. "What have I done?"

Hiccup watched as the years of wisdom were finally allowed to take over the mind of the old Emperor. He clutched the Black Knights' hand in his own, which was turning icy cold.

"Hiccup...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." The tears now flowed even more than before, as the old man repeated the same three words over and over, quieter and quieter.

"It's okay, uncle. I forgive you." Hiccup said, quietly and gently.

Romulus stopped crying. Looking at his nephew, a smile began to form on his face. "You really are an Emperor's heir."

Romulus began to laugh softly and deeply, a kind of laugh that comforts, yet still showed joy. The laughs changed to coughs, and then subsided. Shedding a single, solitary tear, Hiccup closed the eyes of the fallen emperor.

"Your sins are forgiven."

Gobber locked up the vault before proceeding to the ceremony, the dangerous contents inside were much to dangerous, as was previously demonstrated. He whistled as he slowly meandered to the Great Hall. He took a quick glance at the sundial that sat in the middle of the courtyard out front. Hmmmm...12:30...Oh crap! 12:30!

"I'm late!"

The doors opened with a crash as Gobber bound through. Hiccup and Astrid stood at the front holding hands, Hiccup in his nicest attire and Astrid in a white dress. The entire crowd had turned to look at the clumsy viking.

"Did I miss it?"

Valka walked over to him and moved him over to the side.

"If you're talking about the kiss, we were just getting to that part." She sat him down at a chair near the front and then turned towards Gothi. "Please proceed."

Everyone returned their attention to the couple at the front, save the occasional glance at Gobber, in case he did something else to cause a scene. Gothi, silently, as usual, gestured towards the young couple and the man behind her translated for the Roman crowd.

"She now pronounces you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

A cheer rose up among the crowd as their lips met in the final close of their promise to be each other's forever. The two glass cases in the back shook their black and white contents from the power of the yells. Valka let a few tears fall from her eyes and Gobber began to dance around the table. When the crowd was starting to quiet down, Astrid stepped back and sat down at the chair behind Hiccup, whilst the translator stepped forward.

"Settle down, settle down. There is one more ceremony that must be performed here to today. If the elders of Rome may please step forward we will begin."

Three old men, wearing purple togas stepped out from the crowd. The two in back held a pillow between them, which rested the crown that had been removed from Romulus' helmet. The one on front stepped forward and looked at Hiccup and then turned towards the crowd.

"Hiccup, son of Stoick, grandson of Julius, do you accept the duty set before you? To lead the Roman people with all the grace, honor, and wisdom that your forefathers did before you, and bring glory to your empire?"

The crowd grew silent, waiting for his answer. A few people began to grow very confused as Hiccup remained silent. He looked back at Astrid for support in what he was about to do. She smiled at him and winked. Then he stepped away from the crown. The crowd began to murmur.

"I'm afraid, that is not mine to have." He said, confusing the Roman elders. "As there is another who stands before me in the line of succession."

Hiccup smiled at his mother and then lifted his hand to her. Valka gasped as she realized what her son was saying. Quietly, she stepped towards the front of the room. The elders huddled up as she took her sons hand and he guided her to their position. The lead elder nodded as the three came to a consensus.

"We believe you are right, Prince Hiccup." He turned to Valka. "Valka, daughter of Julius, mother of Hiccup, do you accept the duty set before you?"

Valka took a deep breath. "I do."

"Please kneel."

The elder grabbed the crown as Valka did as instructed. Hiccup stepped back to where Astrid sat, taking her hand in his own. The elder took the crown behind Valka and then lifted it up in the air. The gold vine pattern caught the sun at several angles and it glinted across the crowd that sat before them. Slowly, he placed it upon her head. When he was done, Valka stood before the gathered.

"All hail Valka, First Empress of Rome."

The crowd cheered again, Hiccup and Astrid smiled to each other, Gobber began to dance again, and a faint spirit in the corner, momentarily, smiled. His long beard lay across his stout chest and his hand rested on the hilt of his battleaxe, as a support. Then he was gone.