Well hello, hello! We are back. Oh yes, we are back. The majority of this chapter is what I wrote in January and realized I was jumping the gun. Therefore, it was mostly done and ready to go so soon! Brace yourselves, kids. From here on out, things are going to take an interesting turn.

To the Guest Reviewer who sent me a message a few reviews back saying you are 4 months clean, well done! I am so proud of you for that accomplishment. Though I won't presume to take credit in any way, I am thankful and honored that Erick's story was able to resonate with you and I'm thankful you had the strength and courage to share that update 3 - because I wrote this author's note so long ago and this chapter wasn't yet ready to go up, obviously this was a while ago. I hope you are still doing well but I didn't want to forget to still post this message for you :)

Please don't forget to leave a review so the final installment to the GUH series, as well as GUH itself, will get trending on fanfiction and we can acquire more readers! The reviews help us in the long run so please make sure to leave a review, even if it's brief! :)

As always, enjoy!

Inspiration:Paint It Black (featuring Ranya) [Epic Trailer Version] by Hidden Citizens (*), The Way Home by Tony Anderson (**)

**WARNING-STRESSFUL SITUATIONS, NOT GRAPHIC**

Chapter 6: Checkmate

Chief Kara of Brawn and the Meathead Tribe was in a funk.

Not the sickness type of funk when your body felt light and heavy at the same time and your sinuses held that slight tingle, as if on the cusp of sickness. No, the type of funk where you seemed to feel on edge all day.

She woke early that morning feeling slightly off but, assuming that she'd not gotten enough sleep, began her usual routine. Cup of tea, breakfast with Frederik and the kids, check in with her captains in charge of night patrol, and on it went. By noontime, the feeling hadn't passed, so she touched base with Raine, her secretary of sorts.

"Have I forgotten anything in the last few days?" Kara had asked. "Any meetings, some place I needed to be?"

Frowning, Raine checked her schedule. "You were there for each morning meeting, and at the fishery, mines, and the mill for those check ups. You didn't miss your brunch with the ladies yesterday?"

"No, I was there."

"Hm. Well everything seems to be in order here. Why?"

Kara shook her head. "I just have a feeling, that's all. Like I've forgotten something."

Raine pursed her lips. "Well if I think of something, I'll let you know. Maybe there's something we're both forgetting."

Somehow Kara doubted it. She proceeded with her duties throughout the afternoon and well into the evening, all the while ignoring that nagging sensation. It was nothing. Perhaps she was coming down with a bug after all. Perhaps it was just stress.

Except stress didn't usually make her feel like someone was walking over her grave.

Finally, as she wrapped up her usual evening meeting with her council to reflect on the day's events of their rather expansive village, she began her long walk home on the usual route. She liked to finish the day with a scenic route along the wharf. Here she could get a close up view of the night time market stalls that sold pastries and coffee and evening liquor along the beachside. The combination of smells in the salty air was soothing and reminded her of the little things in life. That the stress of running a village and protecting her people and family from a great many things was all worth it for these little moments.

From the wharf she took a quieter stroll through the darkened streets to her home. It usually settled her mind and prepared her for the upcoming evening when she'd kiss her sleeping babies goodnight, pray that Sigrid was in her room as she should be (keeping track of headstrong teenagers was quite difficult), and spend the rest of the evening with Fred before settling in for the night.

Except for that infernal nagging. Even her usual calming walk home wasn't enough to settle her nerves.

Sighing through her nose, Kara stopped ignoring the feeling. She'd been feeling like this all day. Maybe her senses or the gods themselves were trying to tell her something.

Then, she felt it.

Prickles on the back of her neck, as if a pair of eyes were boring into her. And though it was as silent as a sleepy midnight kiss, the sound of metal against a leather sheath sent adrenaline rushing through her veins.

With a sharp inhale, Kara ducked and rolled into the nearest side street, barely dodging the eight inch dagger that slammed into the wall right where she'd just been standing.

Kara drew her own daggers from her weapons belt and whirled around, but saw only darkness. That nagging sensation all day… someone had been watching her-

As if born of shadows, a lithe body slid off the roof overhead and she whirled just in time to avoid a collision. Except they had the upper hand. A heavy boot collided with her chest and she went down hard, choking on air. In seconds her arms were pinned at the elbows beneath a pair of knees, sharp pains shooting up to her palms and rendering her weapons useless.

The individual crouching over her was tall and thin, but no less strong for their stature. She couldn't tell if it was male or female. They wore all black, the material soft and supple. Perfect for blending into shadows.

Before Kara could utter a word, the assassin grabbed her by the chin with a gloved hand and pressed her head painfully back into the dirt, cutting off her ability to shout. Their blade rose, glinting in the moonlight, before plunging downward-

The impact of metal on flesh was dull and final as blood seeped from a fatal wound and lifeless lips.

"What do you mean there was no one there?"

Snotlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut gave Hiccup solemn looks as they stood on the steps leading to the Great Hall. The trio had finally returned from their trip in the late hours of the night-gone nearly a week, Hiccup recalled-and instantly regaled him with the result of their mission.

"That's what I said." Snotlout said. The Twins nodded emphatically beside him. "The ship was trashed, no sign of blood or anything of that sort, but we did find this on Johann's cabin door."

He withdrew a folded piece of paper from the breast pocket of his dark tunic and held it out. Without a word, Hiccup took it and read the two words scrawled on its surface, the coal smudged like shadows across the paper from hours of long travel.

Your move.

Toothless, standing vigil at his side as always, gave the paper a tentative sniff and growled. As if Hiccup needed any more clues as to who'd written the note.

Hiccup crumpled the paper in his palm and glared out toward the ocean. "Brandyn."

They were silent for a few long, terse moments.

"What do you want us to do, Chief?"

Alton. Johann. Captured by Brandyn.

"It's starting." Hiccup said, ignoring the question.

His friends straightened, armor clinking in the silence. "We figured. So what do we do next?"

Hiccup's heart thundered beneath his flight suit. "Gather the council. Astrid's on a recon flight as we speak, so we'll fill her in when she gets back. And…" He paused, a note of guilt squirming in his stomach. "Get the Brands and Cliff and Taryn Smedley, too. It's time they knew what's going on."

With quick nods, his friends turned and ran down the stairs, each taking different streets into the village. Early as it was, Ruffnut went in the direction of her house, no doubt to find Fishlegs and her children first. Tuffnut headed towards the forge to find Gobber. Snotlout, however, turned toward the heart of the village. If Hiccup didn't know him any better, he'd assume that many of the councilmen and women were there.

Except he knew his friend as well as he knew himself. And if Erick had been missing, the first person he'd go to was his daughter.

Hiccup sighed and shook his head. Streamers flapped in the light breeze. Smiles were on every face in the village below. Everyone was so excited and happy for a wedding. No, the wedding. People had talked about Finn's wedding for years it seemed, long before he'd ever met Genevieve. Strong, spirited Fearless Finn. Loved by some, hated by others. But no less popular. His would be the wedding of the decade.

And now…

As if sensing his darkening thoughts, Toothless warbled and bumped his shoulder with his velvety nose.

Hiccup exhaled a rough breath. "You're right, bud. Maybe it's not so bad." Still, he stared down at the crumpled note in his hand. If Brandyn wanted to play it smart, if he'd wanted to remain in the shadows, then why put a note at all? Why not just kidnap Alton and Johann and make them squirm with the knowledge that they had no information at all? Why not make them wonder if it had been pirates, slavers, or any other scenario to explain their strange disappearance? Why point fingers directly at himself, taking credit?

Unless… that's exactly what he wanted. If Brandyn wanted them to know he'd taken their friends. Knowing full well that they would worry. Knowing full well that in order to find more information, Hiccup would have to risk putting more lives into danger to find them. To find out if their friends were still alive.

Shaking his head again in frustration, Hiccup tried to focus back on the present. The streamers waved at him mockingly from the streets below. He needed to get some of this frustration out before it overwhelmed him, but the best person to talk to about this was Astrid. Anyone else would be needlessly worried and take on the stress that he and his wife alone should carry. Plus, she could cut through his anxiety like a knife through softened butter, force him to think through things logically and calmly. No one else could get through to him like she could. Except… Finn. He did take after his mother after all.

A brief moment was all it took to consider talking to his son before he quickly tamped it down. Finn didn't need to be overwhelmed by worst case scenarios. He had a wedding to think about. And if he was being honest, if he was talking to Astrid he would be permitted to admit that he felt guilty should something happen to ruin their son's wedding day. To admit that to Finn…

Groaning, Hiccup spun on his heel and marched up the stairs. Already he was overthinking it all.

Astrid. Astrid will be home from her morning recon flight and we'll talk then. For now, focus on the meeting.

The stern words to himself helped. Toothless bounded past him up the stairs, his green eyes glinting in the morning light. The sun was rising in the distance, lighting the cloudless blue sky that was sure to be the beginning of an otherwise beautiful day.

It'll be fine. We'll figure it out. We always do.

Nodding to himself, Hiccup shoved open the doors to the Great Hall and stalked for the head table to prepare himself for the uncomfortable meeting ahead.

Worry. Fear. Rage.

Those were the only things that seemed to fuel Inga's days. Her routine hadn't changed. Well, mostly. She woke with the dawn, had breakfast, went to work, and returned home again. Everything was as it had always been. Routine. Dull, repugnant routine.

Maybe it wouldn't have phased her if she didn't have the sensation of falling through the air every time she took a breath and remembered that Alton might never send her a letter again.

Might never come home.

She tried to stay positive. Tried to hope. But she wasn't the Haddocks. She was a Jorgenson. Sitting idly by, watching others make decisions, waiting. These were not Jorgenson traits.

And she was done with it.

Her steps were swift through the decorated streets, though she hardly noticed any of it. She was on a one track mind. She'd sat around and waited this last week for news, any news, any sight of her father's return with something, and when he finally showed up ten minutes ago with blue eyes full of regret and open arms as if he expected her to fall to pieces, she'd nearly fallen to her knees.

Not dead. Just missing. Just… disappeared. Brandyn. His fault. I can't go on like this, I need answers, and I needed them yesterday.

Anger roiled through her veins. The chief was calling a meeting soon to tell Alton's family the news. Because no news meant they were allowed to know what was going on apparently. What was Hiccup thinking? He was a smart, wise man, but what was he thinking?

Inga was so angry as she strode to the Hatchery that she nearly ate dust when she collided into a solid chest as it was exiting the solid doors.

"Whoa, easy Jorg-"

"Move it!" Inga slapped down the hands setting her back on her feet and almost didn't register the familiar red hair and blue eyes that narrowed. "I don't have time for you, just get out of the way."

She left Finn standing at the door, looking perplexed. It was his fault, too, she reasoned. He could have done better this last week to find more news, not stand around and wait like… like…

Huffing, Inga shot up the stairs. That wasn't fair and she knew it, though her heart burned in her chest like it was on fire to even admit it. He was getting married in two days. What else was he supposed to have done this past week except probably miss out on important things he needed to be a part of?

Still, she wanted someone to blame.

She took the final staircase that led to the fourth floor and only then realized she was breathing rather hard. She forced herself to slow, to take a few deep breaths. She might not fall to pieces as her father feared, but she may find herself on the floor for other reasons entirely if she didn't relax. Curse the obnoxious head injury she'd suffered all those years ago for making her body cave in on itself when she needed it most, when she needed to focus.

Because what was going to happen next? Finn and Genevieve's wedding was in two days. What did Hiccup plan to do next? Would he think about the next steps before making a decision, as he was prone to do? That meant another group of soldiers wouldn't leave to find Alton for at least another three days, if not more.

If Brandyn really had them held captive, Alton and Johann didn't have time for them to sit around and twiddle their thumbs, wedding or no. She didn't care anymore and she was done waiting. She would find Alton herself.

She finally arrived at the correct stall and flung open the door to Mystie's pen.

Without a word, she grabbed her saddle and set it on her Changewing's red back. Ignoring her dragon's questioning croon, she tightened the straps. It was second nature for her just as it was for everyone else on this gods-forsaken rock. And yet if she was the only one willing to do what had to be done, then so be it. She didn't need permission. She'd find Alton and bring him home herself.

Barely glancing at the shelf that was replicated in each stable throughout the Hatchery, filled with tools and gear and oils and satchels and more, Inga snatched up an empty satchel to fill it with necessities. It nearly ripped wide open when something on the other end held it hard and fast.

Whipping around, she was shocked to see Finn standing there, holding the other end. "Where are you going?"

Nosy, good for nothing-

Wordlessly, Inga gave the satchel a tug. Surprisingly he let it go. She shoved a wound kit and a bag of dry fruits and nuts into it without a word.

"Inga, talk to me."

Her insides roiled with frustration and anger. There was nothing to be said. That much was obvious. Less talk, more action. She was finished with it.

"Listen, I know you're upset. But we need to stay calm-"

With a rush, Inga saw red. Whipping around, she shoved him in the chest. "How could you? You, out of EVERYONE, how could youjust sit here and do NOTHING?"

A flicker of hurt flashed in his eyes but he stood his ground. "It's not that simple-"

"It was pretty gods-damned simple when Adrianna disappeared a few years ago!" Inga shouted. "Or does it only apply when it's the people you love?"

"That's not fair and you know it. The situation is completely different-"

Inga gave a shrill laugh. "Right. It always is." She turned to put the satchel inside her saddlebags. "So tell me, if it was Genevieve, would you be sitting here waiting for a search party?"

Finn said nothing.

"Of course not. You'd be out there risking your neck, because the rules don't apply to you."

"So what are you going to do?" Finn demanded. "Rush out there to the place they disappeared and then what? Hope that Mystie can get a trail that's more than a week old?"

"That's what the Chief sent my dad and the Twins out to do!" Inga said, whipping around. "Why is this any different?"

"Because you're a healer, not a soldier! Because you'd be dead within minutes of finding Brandyn and his men!"

Inga froze. Though his expression was firm, his eyes were sad.

"Then come with me." She asked, voice turning brittle. "I-I know your wedding is in a few days, but come with me. Help me find him."

Finn shook his head. "Inga, I can't do that. You know why I can't do that-"

"Because breaking daddy's rules doesn't apply except when you want to-"

"No, because I've already lost one friend to that psycho, and I'm not going to lose you, too. Because our people need me here. Gone are the days when I can rush off into the sunset to do whatever the Hel I want. People are depending on me, Inga, and that includes you. And if that means I have to throw you in a cell to protect you from yourself, then so be it."

Against her will and all her better judgment, her eyes filled with tears as a feeling of despair and helplessness rose up in her chest. She tried to tamp it down, but it rose up and up and up. "Please. Please, don't do this to me. I'll do anything you want-"

"Then stay." Finn took her shoulders and bent lower to meet her eyes. "Please. I know it's hard. I know you're worried. But I need you to trust me. We'll do this together. As soon as I know anything, you'll be the first to know-"

"That's not good enough."

"I know. But Alton wouldn't want you to rush headfirst into danger. Not for him. Not like this."

And it was these words and the truth in them that sent the tears spilling down her face. Her face crumpled and she began to cry in earnest. Finn pulled her into his chest, the hug loose but no less comforting. She almost hated to admit it but a few years ago she would have given anything to get a hug from Fearless Finn. Now a tiny part of her hated it, for feeling weak, for him realizing how much she needed it.

She ignored these thoughts. They were wrong and selfish. And ultimately, he was right. With all the stress and her condition, she was no use as a soldier. She'd probably get herself killed long before she ever found Alton.

Her chest burned. Alton…

"What if he's already dead?" Inga whispered hoarsely.

Finn tightened his hold on her shoulders. "No. Don't think that. He's strong and stubborn. He'll hold out for us as long as he has to."

The words held little comfort, and yet there was truth in this as well. Alton was stubborn. He was strong. He'd faced hardship just like any of them. He was fiercely loyal. He wouldn't give in to Brandyn without a fight.

She just hoped and prayed that fight was enough to keep him alive, not get him killed.

They stood like that for some time until slowly, her tears dried up. She felt a nudge at her waist and realized Mystie had pressed her nose there, warming her down to her bones with a long breath. Slowly she pulled out of Finn's arms and gave her dragon a scratch. She wiped the tear tracks off her face and sniffed, suddenly feeling immensely awkward.

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize." Finn said firmly. "Let me help you take all this off."

Nodding, Inga began to undo the buckles on Mystie's saddle. They worked in silence for a few minutes, returning everything to how it was and careful to wipe her dragon's poisonous secretions from the leather. Some day this was shaping out to be. She was quite sure Finn had more important things to do today than keep her on the ground, emotionally and physically.

They finished putting Inga's saddlebags away and left the stall, though not before she promised Mystie they would go out for a flight that afternoon. It would be good for her to clear her head and Mystie could stretch her wings. Right now though she would remain on the ground and resist any more temptation to take off.

Still, as a gong sounded over the still waking village, sounded the alert for a council meeting, Inga's spine stiffened. She'd be joining that meeting. She wasn't on the council, but she didn't care. She'd hear what Hiccup had to say for himself, what the plan was.

And if she needed to give the Chief a good throttle to get something done around here, so be it.

*Brandyn took a deep breath into his lungs and exhaled. The acrid scent of smoke wasn't exactly pleasurable, and yet the sight of the burning village around him was a sight for sore eyes. It well made up for the burn in his throat and lungs.

With a pair of swords strapped over his back and dressed in black leather, he smirked as villagers flinched away from him as he strolled down the desiccated street. He wondered if it was the smile, the clothes, or the black war paint stretched down his face like an ill-placed tattoo that caused the most fear. Then again, he supposed any well off person would be terrified if they saw him approaching.

His grin broadened.

Chaos. Finally, chaos. Too long he'd been waiting. Finally, he could step out of the shadows.

The clash of weapons and screams of dying men was a cacophony of music around him. Perhaps he could understand Slaver Anton now. He'd been chasing this for so long, he didn't realize how much he'd enjoy it. The destruction of an entire village.

Well, not entirely. Just enough until the people knelt.

Already so many had pledged fealty to him. Their rightful chieftain. Not the fake from another village, only offered this land, his land, his people because there was no one else who wanted them. So long ago, Dagur the Deranged, their rightful leader, was dethroned and childless. So they were pawned off to the next heir in line from another village.

Except Berserker had an heir. Dagur the Deranged might not have been successful at many things, but keeping his best, most precious secret… well, it had perhaps been his greatest success.

Brandyn paused at the foot of the stairs to the Great Hall. His Great Hall. Spinning in a slow circle, he surveyed the fires eating their way through homes, businesses. His soldiers tore down stalls and upturned shop tables, dragged shop owners into the streets and threw them to their knees.

Renewed shouts echoed down the street as no less than four dragons were grounded. Viggo, it seemed, was holding up his end of the bargain. Indestructible green chains lashed snouts and claws, incapacitating the massive firebreathing lizards before they could escape or fight back.

For all of the Archipelago's planning, it had taken no less than a few hours to take Berserker Island. To be fair, it had been a surprise attack. No one expected to be attacked in the dead of night, and his secret weapon was nothing to be scoffed at. It practically rendered his ships invisible. Not to mention their use of the trade route.

Before Viggo's men had taken him away, Brandyn had given Alton a warm smile. "Thank you, Alton, for your services. I'll be sure to send you a thank you card when my empire is built."

Weak and shaking, Alton had only enough energy to raise his head and spit on Brandyn's boots. Brandyn had merely smiled as one of the guards hit him hard enough to send him to his knees before dragging him away once more.

He still wasn't sure what Viggo wanted with the boy. He was utterly useless to them now, even Viggo. What could he possibly hope to gain from keeping Alton alive?

"Sir."

As the sun began its morning rise across the sea, Brandyn turned in time to see a group of a dozen soldiers approaching with a blonde-haired man in their midst. They parted and the largest shoved him to the ground with a painful lurch.

"Ah, Chief Sven. How nice of you to drop in." Brandyn said, facing him.

Sven's blond hair and face was caked in blood as he struggled to his hands and knees. He glared up at Brandyn with a look of pure loathing and yet his expression was calm.

"I have to hand it to you, I'm disappointed." Brandyn said. "Years to prepare for something like this and that was the best you could do? I give myself full credit of course for stealth and cunning, but even you have to admit that was sad. What would your idol Hiccup say?"

Sven said nothing, instead glancing around at the remainder of his people held at sword point all around him. And those that had abandoned him, joining their rightful place at Brandyn's side.

"Cool and calculated, as always." Brandyn said. "You've got nothing to say? No pleading or gnashing of teeth? Do you even want the throne?"

Sven's eyes snapped up to his. "All you care about is power and revenge. I never cared about the throne, as you put it. These people have flourished since Dagur died, and for what? For you to wrest control and return it to the warrior squalor that it once was."

"Warrior squalor it might be, but at least we'll be protected. What have you been doing all this time, Sven? Raising an army of farmers?"

Laughter tore through the ranks of his soldiers even as Brandyn smirked. Sven didn't cower or even blink, however.

"Take back your precious throne, Brandyn." Sven said, straightening. "You may have won this battle, but you won't win the war."

"Idle words." Brandyn said, and yet he paused. Something seemed off. Sven looked like he was… ready to die. No one wanted to die, and yet someone with that sort of attitude meant they had nothing to lose.

Brandyn drew his sword and stuck the point under Sven's chin. "Where is your family? I see they're conveniently missing."

Sven gave him a small triumphant smile and said nothing.

"It won't matter if they escaped." Brandyn said. "If you think I'm stopping here, you're even more ignorant than I assumed. Where did they go? Your sister? She's probably already dead, if all went according to plan."

The calm in Sven's expression slipped.

"And if that's true and my men have done their work well, then the rest of the Archipelago will be none the wiser of what happened here today."

Sven exhaled and looked away, fear in his eyes now. Of course, the besotted fool would do whatever it took to save his family. His wife and children may have escaped, likely to Brawn, but it wouldn't matter. They would all die anyway. Purely selfish, in his opinion. For a chieftain to allow his people to be captured but his own family to escape. Even the children of others' meant very little to him. Except…

Frowning, Brandyn turned and scanned the crowd of Berserkers who'd been captured.

Men. All men. There wasn't a single woman or child in sight. In fact, he couldn't recall hearing the sharp cries of either during the battle.

Turning to Sven, he grabbed him by the shirt and hauled him to his feet. "Where are they?"

"Harder to stop the Archipelago from knowing the truth of what happened here if you don't know how many escaped." Sven said, not fighting. Still he did nothing to save himself. "Besides, the Archipelago will know regardless. I only did my best to save as many from you as I could."

Brandyn frowned, confused. Something was off. Sven knew he was going to die so of course he'd do whatever it took to save his family and as many people as he could… but this whole takeover had been so easy. Did he have a spy in his ranks? Did they know he was coming?

No, that wasn't possible. Nobody would dare. But Sven said the Archipelago would know… Already Brandyn's men had been ordered to douse fires in wet sand, all the more to stifle the smoke that would carry across the sea and warn the neighboring villages that something was wrong. Stealth was his biggest ally in this fight. Sven obviously had some sort of escape plan in motion for his people, owing to the fact that there had been very few men left to protect Berserker Island from his army. Volunteers, then.

Which explained why they were also not fighting for their lives. Glancing around at the captured Berserker men, none of them were looking to him to pledge their fealty or conversely begging for their lives. Many were glaring at him and the soldiers with a fire in their eyes bordering on arrogance. Others were praying, eyes closed and murmuring.

A cold sense of dread swept through Brandyn at that.

Sven seemed to realize he was catching on because he gave a low laugh. Brandyn whipped around.

"Checkmate." Sven whispered.

Not bothering to reply, Brandyn shoved him back to his knees and shouted, "EVACUATE!"

Confused murmurs broke out from his men as Brandyn sprinted down the nearest street. Soldiers shouted in confusion and then dropped what they were doing, following after him. He ignored their questions and confusion and ran as fast as he could, only continued shouting to evacuate, to get as clear from the village as possible.

Leave the fallen. Leave the wounded. Leave the dragons. Leave the traitors who wouldn't kneel for him. They were all dead anyway.

Get to the ships. Now.

Distantly he wondered how long Sven had been planning this. If he should catch Berserker by surprise, if perhaps Sven had a plan B in his back pocket all this time. Just in case. Brandyn ran faster and urged his men to hurry up. They would not lose their element of surprise-

But there was nothing he could do. Any time he might have had had been wasted on pillaging and arrogance.

Just as his boots hit the top deck of his ship, he heard a low rumble. A strange vibration made the ground tremble and the water beneath his ships began to ripple. Shouts from his men were lost to the rumbling, growing ever louder as cracks emerged in the land, sending black clouds of smoke shooting upward. Brandyn nearly went to his knees as the trembling rocked the ship violently and he shouted at the captain to raise the anchors.

But his orders were lost on deaf ears as with an ear-splitting roar, Berserker Island erupted before his very eyes. Buildings and earth and water and stone exploded in a rumbling, fiery inferno that arced upward, sending a thunderous boom echoing across the Archipelago.

Though the sun had yet to fully rise, the setting around the head table was somber. Hiccup took his seat, surveying the expressions of the men and women that he trusted most. A few additional chairs had been brought in for the Brands and Smedleys to join. Clyde and Joan's expressions were tense as they glanced around. Cliff was holding a quiet conversation with Erick, who squeezed his shoulder and strode to his seat. Taryn's hand was holding Cliff's tightly while the other was resting on her swollen belly.

A pang of fear went through him but he kept his expression clear as Gobber called for order. He only hoped and prayed that the news would not be too much stress on Taryn above all others. She was due to give birth very soon now. And if she went into labor early because of him-

With a jolt, he realized everyone was waiting for him to speak.

"Thank you for gathering on short notice so early." Hiccup said. He glanced to his right to meet Astrid's eyes as he always did before remembering that she was on patrol. Clearing his throat, he sat forward and folded his hands. "I'm afraid I have bad news."

Slowly meeting Clyde and Joan's eyes, he began to explain about the note from the Terrible Terror Maybelle as well as Snotlout and the Twins' journey to investigate. Joan's palms slid up to cover her face as he spoke while Clyde's expression slowly turned stoney.

"We know. Cliff informed us the other day." Clyde said into the silence once he'd finished. "I wondered when you were going to tell us."

Hiccup glanced at Cliff, who didn't look the least bit ashamed. He could neither blame him nor the kids, whoever had told him. Probably Adrianna or Erick. "I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily."

"I prayed it wasn't true." Joan said in a hoarse whisper. She raised her face, her eyes filling with tears. "We have… no idea where he is?"

Hiccup slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry, no."

"Well, what measures are we taking to find them?" Clyde demanded.

Hiccup opened his mouth to reply, but Finn beat him to it.

"According to Snotlout and the Twins, they weren't taken by dragons. Even if they were, their scent is long gone." Finn softened his approach as Taryn stifled a sob. "We have no way of tracking them."

"That's…" Clyde shook with suppressed fury. "That's not good enough."

"Clyde-"

"No! If it was your son missing, you'd be burning the Archipelago to ashes to find him!" Clyde roared.

"I never said we wouldn't try to find him, Clyde." Hiccup said firmly. "I'm not making exceptions. Please don't think that I plan to write them off as not worth the risk because I'd never-"

"So what are you planning then?" Inga demanded from her seat between her parents. "I got the note from Maybelle a week ago. If it took my dad that long to get there and come back, then Alton and Johann have been missing for more than a week. So sitting here talking about it is just wasting time!"

"Baby, we only just got back today-"

"And?"

"And it's important to have this conversation!" Snotlout said. "We don't know where they were taken-"

"But we can surely use our brains and start at the place they disappeared!" Inga said, her face reddening. "Which you and the Twins could have done by just staying there and starting your search, but no, you had to run back to daddy Hiccup-"

"Inga!" Heather interrupted as Hiccup winced. "When we are given orders, we follow them-"

"Yeah, that's all anyone does is follow orders but nobody stops to consider if there's a better idea! So now, by the time we fool around talking about the issue and make plans and wait around for Mama Astrid to come back to double check every loophole-"

"Inga, enough!"

"-will already be another week before we even get there! Alton and Johann will be gone for weeks by the time we stop twiddling our thumbs!"

Hiccup listened to all this with a calm expression, her words pelting him like stones. She was right, of course. He'd never be so arrogant to say otherwise. But they needed to be careful. If Brandyn was- No. Brandyn was making his move. Everything they did now had repercussions. They couldn't launch headlong into danger without considering their options.

Still, Inga was right. Clyde was right. They couldn't afford to sit around and wait, and if it was either of his kids missing, he wouldn't waste time.

Heather had Inga by the arms now. "Calm down-"

Inga shook her hands off. "Stop babying me! If you think I'm just going to sit here and-"

Without warning, they heard a thunderous boom. Dust wafted to the floor from the rafters and the ground itself seemed to vibrate, pulling surprised gasps from many gathered in the Great Hall. Toothless ducked his head and growled, tail curling around Hiccup and Finn protectively.

Just as swiftly as it had happened, it stopped. The Great Hall was silent for a few long, tense moments.

"What the Hel was that?" Erick murmured. Adrianna's eyes were wide beside him.

"Earthquake?" Finn asked, tense as a board.

"That was no earthquake." Gobber said. "We had earthquakes when I was a wee lad and that was something airborne. Like-"

"An explosion." Hiccup finished, getting to his feet.

His exit prompted the sound of scraping chairs and running footsteps. Toothless was a wall of muscle and scales as they heaved the door open and sprinted onto the patio of the Great Hall.

At first he heard the confused murmurs of the council around him and shouts in the village. People and dragons were halted in the air and gathering in the streets, all looking around in confusion. But from their vantage point on the ground, they couldn't see anything. Not like those gathered at the Great Hall could.

A mighty black and gray plume of dust and ash was gathering on the horizon in a single, massive funnel. It gathered in height and size as they watched, transfixed.

"What…" Adrianna stammered. "What is that?"

"No." Hiccup whispered hoarsely.

"Dad, what…"

Finn's voice and the voices of others were a distant thing. Even Toothless's croon was soft, as if he somehow understood. Even as he continued to watch, the cloud rose higher and higher in the distance, wafted across the morning's golden horizon by the wind.

**Slowly Hiccup got to his knees, his breath short in his chest. A pair of hands caught him by the shoulders but he ignored them.

Finn went down a few stairs, looking toward the distant cloud. "What islands are that way? Brawn? No, Brawn is further east than that-"

"Berserker." Hiccup said in a hoarse voice. "That… is Berserker. And it's burning."

A hushed silence fell over the crowd like a blanket, unlike the village below that began to bustle with activity. People were starting to notice from the edges of the village. Voices rose in shouts as people pointed.

They were too far away to see the damage but the echo of the explosion that shot over the ocean to reach their ears and the smoke cloud large enough for them to see from leagues away… The damage had to be catastrophic.

Sven.

"Daddy. Daddy, what do we do?"

Hiccup shook his head.

"We can organize a rescue effort-"

"No." Hiccup's voice sounded stronger than he felt. He looked around at the stunned faces of his council, his kids. "No. He'll be expecting that."

Finn stared at him, aghast. "Dad, there could be survivors-"

"And if there are, the majority will be Brandyn's men." Hiccup said, getting back to his feet. "We can't take that chance."

"Brandyn?" Adrianna whispered. "You think he did this?"

"The note. He left a note on Johann's ship saying it was our move, but…" Hiccup's mind was whirling. A taunt. It had only been a taunt, but this…

"How can you be sure?" Adrianna asked from somewhere far away.

Finn's expression was stoney. "Berserker would be the natural place to attack first. Get back men loyal to him, take back his throne…"

"But how would he even get that close to Berserker without alerting the other villages in his path?" Erick asked in a tight voice. "We would have heard from the allied clans in that region if he had an army ready to take back Berserker."

Hiccup rubbed his face and exhaled. "I don't know."

Gobber shook his head from the doorway. "Poor Sven."

They were quiet for a long moment after that, watching as the funnel rose in the distance.

"I suppose this changes our rescue effort for Alton then." Clyde said bitterly.

Hiccup faced him, opening his mouth to reply, and quickly shut it again. So many variables. Too many variables. Stress was racing along his bones down to the very roots of his hair. He needed to think.

Exhaling a shaky breath, Adrianna took his hand. "We wait for my mom to return. Like it or not, we need a plan. Especially now, before any of us jumps headlong into something we can't get back out of. If… if it is Brandyn, then we need a plan. A good one."

Inga and Clyde both gave her scathing looks. Though it likely pained him to do so, he looked away and nodded.

"We'll do everything we can." Erick said.

Inga gave a disgusted scoff and tromped down the stairs. Finn opened his mouth but she shoved him aside and took the stairs two at a time before stalking into the village. Heather sighed and, patting Hiccup's arm, ran after her daughter.

"I should have stayed at the ship." Snotlout said as the Brands descended the stairs. "Tried to do more-"

"Snotlout-"

"Hiccup, if you say I was just following orders, I might have to hit you."

Adrianna scowled.

"No, I was going to ask what would happen next if you three were lost, too?" Hiccup asked, meeting his stern gaze. "Five minutes ago I was ready to draw up plans to send out a search party, but now?" He threw out a hand to point at the smoke cloud, now streaming across the ocean for miles. "I can't afford to send anyone out."

Snotlout shook his head. "You let fear rule your decisions too much, Chief."

"And yet it saves lives." Hiccup shot back, temper rising.

"Does it?" Snotlout demanded, whipping back around. "Whose idea was the trade route, Hiccup? Whose idea was it to sequester all the islands together in their little bubbles to protect themselves? Well now, look!" He too threw a hand out toward Berserker. "It didn't seem to make a Hel of a difference, did it? Not for Alton and Johann and not the Berserkers, who were our friends-"

"I know that!" Hiccup shouted. "In case you forgot, before Sven was your friend, he was mine! He's the one who trained with me for the duel with Dagur, and who was spitting insults from the sidelines, supportive as always? You!"

Snotlout's face went red. "Yeah, well his death's on you, Hiccup. After all, you picked him for the job as Berserker Chief, too."

Hiccup went still, his heart thundering in his chest. "I do the best I can, Snotlout. Maybe I should've made you Chief of Berserker, then you'd see that it's not so easy calling all the shots."

"Oh, so I'd be the dead one then. How convenient."

"At least you'd have made an honorable contribution to society other than running your mouth."

"Okay-" Erick interrupted, placing a hand on Snotlout's broad chest as he lurched forward.

"Well, isn't that fresh?" Snotlout growled, face reddening. "If you want to get rid of me so easily, then send me to find my daughter's boyfriend. Or better yet, maybe I'll just go and do something useful."

At long last, Finn interrupted. "Don't be stupid. We need every able-bodied fighter here in case something happens."

Snotlout gave a dark grin and faced Finn. "I don't take orders from you. And if you were half of Inga's friend that you claim to be, you'd go with me."

Finn pursed his lips as Snotlout shoved past and tromped down the stairs. They were silent for a long, long pause while Hiccup watched that funnel on the horizon grow.

"We can't have in-fighting." Erick said suddenly in a firm voice. "And we can't afford to fall to pieces."

Adrianna nodded. Though there was fear in her green eyes, they were also filled with determination.

"You knew." Finn said quietly. "The explosion wasn't an accident, was it?"

Hiccup shook his head. "It's a message. Sven always knew that he had the biggest target on his back, by definition of being Chief of Berserker. So he made a plan to… to rig a set of explosions in the caves beneath the island should Brandyn catch them by surprise."

The kids were silent for a long, long moment.

"But what about his own people?" Adrianna asked in a hushed voice. "His wife and kids-"

"That was part of the plan. He took volunteers from his own army to cause diversions to give the majority of his people, including his family, time to escape." Hiccup paused, fighting the sting in his eyes. "I told him not to. I didn't… I didn't think it would come to this."

Adrianna pulled him into a hug. "It's not your fault. Sven made his decisions, too. Just as we do."

Though it hurt to agree, though he wanted to argue, he nodded. Sven and his men had sacrificed themselves to protect their families and to warn the rest of the Archipelago. He wouldn't dishonor their memory by fighting the truth of it.

But Erick had raised a valid point. How didn't any of the other villages see an armada entering the Archipelago to attack Berserker? Why hadn't they been warned? Jade, Milly, Kara, any one of them should have sent a letter by Terror mail.

Erick's expression was somber. "Where are the refugees headed then?"

Slowly, Hiccup pulled out of his daughter's embrace. "Brawn. Anyone loyal to Sven would go to his sister Kara, who is technically their Chief now."

"How could they escape though?" Adrianna asked.

"Similar to Berk, Berserker has a series of tunnels beneath the island that lead to the sea. Nobody knew about them unless, well, unless you did." Hiccup sighed. "Sven probably has had ships rigged up and an evacuation process in place should the worst happen."

"For years?" Erick asked. "I mean… exceptional planning, but how does someone keep up with that level of planning, all based on the assumption that something might happen?"

Hiccup shook his head. "I think after the Convocation, Sven always knew something would happen. Maybe he was the smartest out of us all in the end."

Their eyes simultaneously returned to the smokey horizon once more, somber. Hiccup felt a deep sense of loss. Sven had been a good friend over the years, beginning with teaching him better fighting techniques for the duel. Their friendship had begun in dire circumstances. He only wished that it hadn't ended so soon. He wished he could have done more.

"It doesn't feel right." Finn said. "Dad, we should do something-"

"We are doing something." Hiccup said, strength returning to his voice. "If anything, Sven's plan worked. It bought us time. Get the embattlements ready and men on the borders. I don't want a spec of ocean not being watched. As soon as your mom gets back, we'll gather for another meeting."

Though Finn pursed his lips, he nodded and descended the stairs without another word. As captain of the guard, it was his duty to organize this sort of thing. Giving him something to do would help him feel useful besides. Because at the end of the day, Sven made that explosion go off to warn them, which meant one thing: Brandyn was a few hours away, which also meant he had men at his disposal. They would need to plan their next moves very carefully.

Adrianna watched as her brother reached the end of the stairs and sprinted away. "At least Gen got home before all this happened."

Erick nodded. Lowering his voice, he asked, "What are we going to do about Alton and Johann?"

Hiccup exhaled through his nose and said nothing. He wished he had a plan, knew he was expected to have a plan. Perhaps he would have one if Berserker hadn't… but now…

"Mom will provide clarity. She always does." Adrianna said, reading his silence correctly. "In the meantime, we need to stay calm."

Hiccup looked into her green eyes, twins to his own. There was fear there, her worst enemy making his move at last, but there was also determination. Firm, unyielding determination. He could take a leaf out of her book. Taking a deep breath into his lungs and letting it out, he nodded.

Satisfied, Adrianna released his hand. "I'm going to pick up Darin. Keep me posted."

"Aren't you going with her?" Hiccup asked Erick as she descended the stairs.

Erick shook his head, gazing around at the rest of the council talking in hushed voices. Cliff and Taryn were sitting just inside the Great Hall, looking pale. "I'll be inside. Besides, Annie knows her way around the village."

Snorting softly, Hiccup watched him go before turning his eyes back on the smokey horizon. The cloud was now a dull slate gray, smudging the morning sky with darkness. If the wind took the right course, it would send the smoke toward Berk. He hoped it wouldn't. The last thing he wanted to endure was the smell and taste of death on the wind.

Though she said she was going to pick up Darin, Adrianna found herself at the edge of the village, hands on the fence, staring out at the ocean. The smoke cloud was now a smear across the horizon. Still dark and imposing. Spreading like a sickness.

That's what Brandyn did. Spread his negativity and darkness everywhere he went.

They'd been preparing for something like this for years. And yet… and yet she'd be lying if she said she'd remembered. Three years was a long time. After so long of hearing nothing and preparing for something bad to happen, she and Erick had built a life together. Even if she'd almost ruined it in recent days, they were happy. Life moved on. She forgot.

Now her eyes burned with tears. Sven and so many of his people had sacrificed themselves in case Brandyn caught the Archipelago by surprise. In case he tried to sneak his way back in without being noticed, just as he was so good at doing.

I didn't think it would come to this.

No. Of course they'd tried to prepare for the worst, but Sven had known that it was a very real possibility that Berserker would be attacked. And he'd been ready. Ready to give everything to give his friends and family a chance. To protect themselves. To have a fighting chance and not be taken by surprise like he was.

Adrianna wiped the tears off her face and sniffed, her thoughts hardening into something firm and unyielding. She'd make sure Sven's sacrifice meant something. She'd never let Brandyn win. Even if she had to give everything to see it through, she would.

The mismatched steps on gravel alerted her to her husband's presence long before his elbows hit the fence beside her hands. Erick's teal eyes were somber as they turned toward her. "Are you okay?"

For a long moment, Adrianna said nothing. Then she said, "It's time to get them ready."

She'd never wanted to say those words. A precaution in case the worst should happen and yet it felt right. Judging by the searching look in his eyes and then the shallow nod, Erick agreed.

"I won't let Brandyn have him." Adrianna whispered fiercely. "I won't."

Erick straightened and took her face in his hands. "Darin is not going anywhere. We'll protect him together, no matter what happens next."

Adrianna nodded. She looked back across the water and Erick lowered his hands. "Still."

"What?"

"If I get the opportunity," she said quietly. "I'll take him apart piece by piece. For Sven."

If it weren't for the dimples that appeared on his face, she might have thought he was a bit concerned as he took her hand. "Good. I can't wait to watch as you do."

It felt wrong to smile, to laugh, to reach up on tiptoes and kiss his cheek. But in her heart, she knew it wasn't wrong. They had a fighting chance. They had time. Now it was time to act.

Stormfly's wings cut through the smokey air with firm, near-silent flaps. Astrid blinked hard, trying to force her eyes to stop streaming from the dense smoke. She'd tried to endure breathing the thick air but eventually relented and pulled up a scarf around her mouth and nose.

They'd been on patrol when it happened. An explosion so loud and deep that the very waves far below them seemed to shudder. And then the smoke cloud had risen from Berserker.

She should have turned around, gone back to Berk. No doubt Hiccup had already seen the smoke cloud too, perhaps even heard the explosion. But she was on a reconnaissance mission. Granted she was a little further out than she was supposed to be, but what was the point in recon if you weren't willing to get more information? Besides, this was important. If Brandyn was finally making his move, then she'd bring back as much information as she could.

Flying in the dense cloud of smoke wasn't pleasurable for either of them, but it was completely necessary. Anyone might be able to see them approaching from the otherwise clear blue skies. This way they could get information without being seen.

Not that she could see much herself. They'd have to dip down beneath the smoke cloud before long, if anything to get fresher air.

Astrid coughed and rubbed her streaming eyes again. "Come on, girl. We have to be close."

Stormfly squawked and began a slow descent, curving down through the wafting smoke. Astrid squinted and rubbed her eyes again, waiting for the smoke to clear as they dropped. Then, as the wind changed and billowed the smoke upward in curling tendrils, Astrid could finally see the carnage below that was once Berserker Island.

Despite herself, despite all the things that she'd seen in her life, nothing could quite prepare her for this.

Berserker Island was now a burning, smoking pile of rubble. What was once an expansive yet imposing island with its spire-like mountain spearing the sky and plateaus of rock on which the village had been built was now burnt to ashes. While parts of the spire still remained, it had sustained heavy damage. The forests and lakes had disappeared. The village that had grown and thrived since Sven came to power was nonexistent. Charred remains of wood and metal could be seen here and there, but the majority was a black stain of soot and smoke. Everything she'd come to know about Berserker, the good and the bad, was gone.

All this Astrid saw in a glance. The rest made her breath catch in her chest.

Ships, all armed to the teeth and teeming with soldiers, had gathered around the remains of the village. Dozens upon dozens of ships. Berserker flags had been raised above each, now flapping in the smoking wind. Any Berserker ships seemed to have been stripped of their decorum from Sven's rule and replaced with an older likeness that reminded her of darker times.

A skrill etched along black material, branded onto weapons and shields. Dagur's crest.

Astrid's fingers were cramped from their white-knuckled grip on the reins. "Stormfly. Stormfly, we need to go."

Her faithful friend seemed inclined to agree because she turned them into a short dive to catch the updraft and take them back to Berk. She jerked to a stop however at the bright orange dragon with a smoking tail blocking their way.

From atop the Singetail, a familiar pale face smirked at her, his blue eyes narrowed in amusement.

"Cale." Astrid said, tensing.

"Finally." Cale said, patting his Singetail. "I've been waiting to have a little payback from you for a long time."

Astrid's heart began to race, but not with fear. "What did you do here?"

Cale gave a derisive laugh. "Oh, we didn't do this. Sven blew up his own island!" At her surprised blink, he laughed again. "Fool. Probably thought he'd protect the land and people he came to love by destroying it so we wouldn't desecrate it or something. Sounds like something a besotted fool would do."

Astrid shook with rage. She needed to get home, back to Berk. Carefully, she pressed a hand to Stormfly's neck, silently telling her to be ready. "Those who don't know love would never understand sacrifice, Cale. But after everything your sister did for you-"

"Oh shut up." Cale spat. "Heather only did her duty as my older sister by taking me in, but that doesn't mean anything. My parents might have died in an accident, but what happened after that? Just like Brandyn, we were dealt a bad hand and we were expected to just get over it and move on. Nobody bothered to see anything from our point of view."

His words stirred old feelings from the days and months after Benen died. When Finn had been so, so angry. She pushed the thoughts away.

"Erick understands that same sort of loss." Astrid countered, checking to be sure her feet were properly secure in their stirrups. "He also lost someone he loved by fire, just as you did. But he didn't become a psychopath. What exactly do you have to gain from all of this, Cale? It gets you nowhere and doesn't make you feel better."

Cale grinned. "Maybe I'm not trying to fill the hole in my heart, Astrid. Maybe I'm just trying to crash and burn and take as many of you with me as I can."

His sharp inhale was all the warning she needed. With a sharp twist, Astrid pulled Stormfly to the side and they dropped into a steep dive, barely missing the pinpoint accuracy of the Singetail's fireball as it was flung toward them. Stormfly twisted in midair and slashed her tail up toward the Singetail's body, Astrid clinging on with her knees. A spray of green acid shot out of nowhere and melted the spikes before they could hit their target. The remnants of the acid that didn't make contact fell toward Stormfly's exposed belly in deadly droplets.

Astrid gasped as Stormfly squawked and yanked out of the dive, now fighting to stay airborne as not one, but two Changewings attacked from both sides. The collision nearly knocked Astrid out of the saddle but she shouted with rage and somehow managed to stay seated. The pair of riders on either side of her swung weapons and she ducked backward, watching with a small grin as they hit each other with cries of pain-

Kicking the wounded arm of one, Astrid hauled herself forward and pulled a knife from her belt. She slashed the saddle straps before he could recover and shoved him away as he slid off his dragon. With a yelp, it dove after its rider and disappeared into the smokey abyss.

A sharp pain shot up Astrid's arm and she jerked back, barely missing the second mallet strike from the second rider, his hand bleeding. Stormfly also cried out in pain as the Changewing swiped at her jaw with its teeth. Stormfly tucked in her wings and Astrid barely had a moment to hang on before they twisted away. Stormfly's tail spines made contact at last and the Changewing gave a sharp cry of pain before falling away.

Shoulder throbbing, Astrid grabbed the reins and banked left, shooting for the opening that would allow them to escape-

With a blast of heat, a fireball came dangerously close to Astrid's face as Cale and his Singetail dove nearly on top of them. The ocean loomed below-

Too close, they were too close-

With a grin, Cale yanked his Singetail away from them and watched as Stormfly flapped harder to regain height and speed. Panting, Astrid urged Stormfly higher, faster, but knew Cale and the others weren't just backing off to let them go. There was no way-

The sound of wood slapping wood and rushing rope echoed in her ears behind her.

Astrid turned and in near slow motion saw the spear flying towards them from a nearby catapult. Without a second thought she threw herself out of the saddle, missing the spearhead by a hairsbreadth. Then she was airborne and plummeting headfirst toward the water. A sharp squawk sounded somewhere over her head as Stormfly lost control and plummeted with her. Astrid tried to turn in the air to find the reins, the saddle, Stormfly's wing, anything-

The ocean rushed up to meet her, filled with debris from a destroyed village.

Hiccup-

She hit the water with a resounding crash that sent her reeling and plummeted down, down, down in a torrent of bubbles. It felt like ages before she slowed, before her limbs could fight the downward surge. She fought the pull of gravity, of the water, of the darkness as her vision swam.

Adrianna.

Finn.

No.

Then the darkness swept in.

Oh no! What will happen now?

Still looking for a job. Really hoping to find one soon that'll cover my bills. It's been four months and the only jobs willing to give me a chance are sales, and I hate sales. So I'm hoping someone else will!

Anyway, don't forget to leave a review or chat with us about it on our Discord!

~Katie