The White Furies Chapter 18:

There, overshadowing Black Ash and Alvin, were a hundred-strong fleet of Viking long boats, each carrying a large catapult and a large pile of massive stones on board. And on each of them, were an army of strong, armed and extremely violent Vikings, all of whom were flexing their fingers around their chosen weapons.

"Gentlemen," said Black Ash, turning around to face the army, "it is time: time for us to take control of Berk, once and for all!" To this, the entire Viking army cheered and shouted. After the shouts calmed down, Alvin stepped forward, and said, "Alright, men! Load the catapults and prepare to fire!" Even though the Vikings listened to Black Ash, they were all still loyal to Alvin. After all the catapults were loaded and ready, the army started to pick up the wind and started to head towards Berk.

As one of the nearby boats past, Black Ash and Alvin climbed aboard. "Set your sight on Berk, and blow it into the sea!"

Toothless – Skies of Berk

As Toothless flew home, a strange smell made its way up his nostrils. It smelt...different, and dangerous. Looking back, Toothless eyes widened: behind him, a hundred Viking long boats were powering towards Berk at an alarming rate. Flapping his wings harder, Toothless started to dive towards the village. Once he landed, Toothless ran through the villagers going about their daily life, unaware of the approaching danger. When he reached Hiccups house, Toothless scratched on his rider door, whining. When Hiccup finally opened the door, he was yawning and said, "What is it, Toothless?"

When Hiccup understood that Toothless wanted to show him something, Hiccup when back inside for a minute and came back wearing his leather flying suit, and just as he climbed on, Toothless shot into the air, and Hiccup was only just able to hang on. "Toothless!" he shouted, "what's wrong! What've you got to show me?" But Hiccups questions were soon answered, as he saw the massive army of long boats, which had now managed to reach Berk and the first ones were already unloading their Viking crew. And on one of the boats, Hiccup saw something that made his blood run cold...

"Black Ash," whispered Hiccup, and at that moment, Black Ash looked up to the sky and looked directly at Hiccup and Toothless. Turning around, he said something to the Vikings and seconds later, the air was filled with flying rocks, most of them getting a little too close to Hiccup and Toothless than they would of wanted. "Come on, buddy! We got to warn the others!" But at that very moment, a rather large rock hit Toothless square in the chest, and Hiccup could of sworn that he heard ribs crack.

Roaring in pain, Toothless started an uncontrollable dive towards the ground at an alarming rate, with Hiccup trying to get him back into the air again. "Come on, bud, come on! You can make it!"But Hiccup knew, as well as Toothless, that they weren't gonna make it back to the village. And with a final cry of pain, Toothless' body crashed into the trees, and then fell to the ground. After that, both of them saw nothing but darkness...

Astrid and the Teens – Village of Berk

The calm of the daily life in Berk was shattered when the whole village shook when they heard an agonising roar, coming from behind the northern trees. However, Astrid and the teens knew that roar anywhere. "That was Toothless' roar," said Snotlout matter-of-factly, and with a deadly look from Astrid, the teens mounted their Dragons and headed towards the source of the noise. After a few minutes flight, they came across some broken trees. Curious, Astrid ordered the rest of them to land, and once they were on the ground, Fishlegs said, "Hey, guys! Look at this!"

At once, all the teens crowded around where Fishlegs had pointed out. There, black as night, was a large Night Fury scale. Looking around, Astrid saw a trail of the scales leading towards the western woods, and in the direction of several broken branches and trees. Motioning for the others to follow her, they started in the direction of the scales. After a few minutes' walk, they came across a terrible sight.

In the middle of a clearing lay an unconscious Hiccup and Toothless: there was a large pool of blood surrounding Hiccup, and there was something about Toothless' chest that wasn't right. Carefully, Astrid moved closer towards her boyfriend and his Dragon. But, when she was within a few feet of them, Hiccups eyes flew open and he was gasping for air. Looking over at Astrid, he said in a very hoarse voice, "A-Astrid? Is that you?" Not answering his question, Astrid ran up to him and looked him over, before asking, "What happened to you?"

Astrid saw the worry reflect in his eyes when she asked him. He motioned for her to come closer and when she was within arms distance of him, Hiccup said, "It's Black Ash: he's returned." Confused, Astrid asked, "Who's Black Ash?" After realising that he hadn't explained anything about Black Ash to the teens, Hiccup was about to explain when another voice broke the silence: "He's the darker of me." Shocked, Hiccup and the teens looked up and they saw a formidable sight.

There hovering about them, was Ice, and on her, was Marko. And hovering about them, were Fradokos and Rachel, both of them riding their White Furies. Looking at them, Hiccup now knew why the White Fury tribe was feared so much throughout the legends. Descending a bit, Marko jumped off Ice, but slightly buckled when he landed, and Fradokos and Rachel followed. Marko walked up to Hiccup, but was stopped by Snotlout, who stepped between Hiccup and Marko, and said, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now?" Looking at something behind Snotlout, Marko answered, "Because, I don't think your Dragon would let you."

Curious, Snotlout turned around, only to find that Hookfang wasn't behind him. But when he turned back around, he was surprised to find that the Monstrous Nightmare was behind Marko. Annoyed, Snotlout asked, "Why is he siding with you?"while he was pointing at Marko. Marko let out an almost mocking-like snigger, and answered, "Other Dragons don't like to admit it, but they do respect Dragons that are, how you say, 'higher up on the food chain.' The White Furies, for example," while pointing at Ice, who was now at Toothless' side, nuzzling his head, "are as legendary as the Night Furies: therefore, Nightmares, Nadders, Gronkles, Zipplebacks, they all respect the Furies, deep down."

Snotlout was about to retaliate when Marko put his hand up to stop him. Marko then turned around, and slowly started to back away. "It's Black Ash and Alvin! Their coming! Quick, quick hide!" Natural obeying his orders, Fradokos and Rachel mounted their White Furies and flew high into the air. "Come on, Hiccup, up you get," said Marko, as he slowly picked Hiccup up and pulled Hiccups arm around his neck, and walking towards a thick, nearby tree. Shaking their heads, the other teens and Dragon followed them.

One Ice had helped Toothless move out of the open, and the teens were all hiding, Marko carefully poked his head around the tree.

There, making their way between the trees, were about fifteen large, heavily-armed, muscular Vikings, along with two other people that made Marko's and Hiccup's blood run cold: Marko and Alvin. Alvin was now wearing a bronze helmet that was shaped with two horns coming out of the sides of the helmet, and Black Ash looked the same as he always did: a black hooded shirt covering his face, but two blood red orbs starring out of the shadows. Suddenly, Black Ash stopped and started to sniff the air.

"Go on without me for a minute," said Black Ash, a smile making its way across his face, "I'll be with you in a few minutes: I've got to check something first." Shrugging his shoulders, Alvin led the rest of the Vikings on towards the direction of Berk. Turning around, Black Ash chuckled and shouted, "I know you're out here, Marko: you cannot hide from me." Growling quietly, Marko stepped out from his hiding place. "So, we meet at last, face to face, after so long, Marko," said Black Ash, as Marko started to walk towards his darker side, and they began to circle each other. "And yet, you've hardly changed since I last saw you, when you destroyed Molak," shot back Marko, cold.

Black Ash sighed, and replied, "I never wanted that to happen: I was just so tired and annoyed about being locked up for so long. Ever since I've become one with you, I have absorbed some of your emotions. YOU," shouted Black Ash, pointing a finger at Marko, "Have changed me! And now, I have the advantage." But Marko didn't even flinch, and he replied, "Did you really think that I'd come face you, unarmed?" As he slowly pulled one of his swords from a sheath on his back. Smiling, Black Ash said, "Well, at least you picked up some of MY emotions: the thirst for Blood, for example?"

Growling angrily, Marko charged at Black Ash and swung his sword at him, only for it to be blocked by a sword in Black Ash's hand. Backing away slightly, Black Ash said, almost normally, "Do you like the handle of my sword?" Looking down at it, Marko's blood went cold: the handle of the sword looked like a bone. "This bone was from my first victim," explained Black Ash, studying the sword, "I believe it was from someone called...Kodiak: it's hard to remember the names of the people you've killed." Gritting his teeth, Marko went for another hit, but was blocked again. Black Ash then swung a well aimed shot to Marko's rib cage, which caused Marko to fall to the floor in pain.

"See you in the village," said Black Ash, backing away and turning around, before disappearing into the trees. "Marko!" shouted Rachel, jumping off Cloud and running to Marko's side. Grunting, Marko got back on his feet again and ran after Black Ash. Sighing, Rachel shouted, "Come on! We have to help him!" Acting on instinct, the Dragons, teens and Fradokos ran, and flew, towards the village. Astrid walked up to Hiccup and put his arm around her neck. "Come on, Hiccup," said Astrid, and Hiccup moaned in pain in response. As the teens and Dragons got closer to the village, they could hear shouts and order being given. Breathing deeply, Astrid tightened her grip on Hiccups side and she told the other teens to pick up the pace. After another few minutes running, and jogging in Astrid's case, they arrived at a horrible sight.

The entire village was set alight: the fire jumped from building to building. Looking to the sky, they saw about a hundred Dragons flying, trying to get down to the ground and rescue their riders. And looking around the entire village, they saw Berk's village trying to fight off the warriors from Alvin's tribe. And right in front of them, stood Marko, looking at the destruction in front of him. And in front of him, stood Black Ash, his back to the burning village, and shouted, "Do you like it, Marko? Do you like the destruction, knowing full well that it's your fault!"

But Marko wasn't answering Black Ash's questions: he had dropped his sword, and was looking at the burning village in front of him. "Marko, what do we do?" asked Fradokos, and slowly, Marko turned around and for the first time in their life knowing Marko, the teens and the White Fury tribe members saw something that they thought they never see in Marko's eyes: it was fear.

"There's only one thing we can do," said Marko, his voice quivering, "and that's run: run as fast as you can, because there's nothing else we can do."

Well, that's this story finished, but I've started work on the next story, but I need people to decide on which is better: The Rise and Fall of Black Ash or The Last of the White Furies. So, if you could vote on the poll on my author's page, it would be really helpful.

And any questions you may have, PM me and I'll try and answer them.

Nightfury991 signing out.