It's been a week since Ember gave birth to Nightshift, Hookfang and Snotlout. Surprised that she went through with it? Yeah me too. It was quite an honor and Snotlout turned out to be tougher than I thought he would be. He is also quite a good uncle. I would always catch him sneaking away with Hookfang to check out those little guys. He denies it, of course, but he's a softie for those babies he protected. Ember's mate, Sparker, returned and found out what happened. He was ashamed he wasn't able to protect his mate and mourned his brother's death, but he was proud when he realized that he was a father, thanks to us. He told me and my friends that if we ever need any allies, he will be there to help.

Tyse wanted the couple and their children to have a proper home instead of a cave and convinced them to let us build them one. It took awhile but luckily we were able to build them a nice home in the forests. Turns out they didn't want to be near the base because they want to be close to their roots. I suppose I understand that. Their Purebloods like Tyse is and she lives in the forests as well but more closer to the Edge than where the Monstrous Nightmare family is living. They'll still be close enough to come to our aid in case we are attacked. Crusher suggested a blow horn to call them as well as the Shifter Stingers on the island and we thought it was a good idea, but that will be for a future project.

Anyway, It was now night and we were patrolling around the island looking for any sign of ships or Dagur. So far he doesn't know where our base is, but that can easily change if he or his men find it. Luckily it was nice and quiet with no sign of ships. Hiccup and Astrid patrolled from the North and East side while Sharlene, Tyse and I patrolled the South and West side of the island.

"No sign of any ships or Dagur. What about the two of you?" I asked, meeting the two female shifters when we crossed paths while patrolling. "The waters are calm and clear." Sharlene says seriously. "No sign of any boats or Dagur sadly. I wanted to play.~" Tyse's swarm giggled creepily as I slightly shivered. What Tyse's definition of play is far from innocent. "Well let's return to base. I'm sure Hiccup and Astrid are done as well."

The two nod and follow me to the edge. While flying however, I noticed Tyse was looking at the posts concerned. I flew next to her and purred. "Is something wrong?" I asked in concern. "My siblings are missing." She stated, making us look down and see that Tyse was right. None of the Night Terrors were in their posts like they are supposed to be. "Where are they? They should be on watch." Sharlene asked coldly, but the worry in her eyes showed her concern that our watch was missing. I thought for an answer before realization hit me and I chuckled. "There alright. I think I know where they are." Tyse looks at me in surprise before she realizes too and her many forms frowns in annoyance. "Ahh. I see." Sharlene looked at us confused. "What is it?" She asked, not understanding. "Let's say that my Loki partners are being mischievous once again." I chuckled as I flew away with the two following me, well one Sharlene and dozens of Tyses anyway.

We soon arrived at the dome to see the rest of the gang excluding Hiccup and Astrid watching the Twins playing with one of the Terrors as the others flew above. We landed and shifted into our human forms and walked over and not a second later Hiccup and Astrid arrived and landed as well. "Uh, what are you two doing?" Hiccup asked as I turned to Astrid. "Any sign of Dagur?" I asked. She shook her head. "No. We didn't see him nor his Berserkers." Astrid says, annoyance on her face as she glares at the twins. 'Someone Is annoyed.' 'Of course she is. The Night Terrors are our watchmen and the twins are keeping them away from their duties.' Wolf says as I mentally see him glancing cautiously at a bright orb deeper in my soul and within it was the Black Flame, constantly fighting against it's prison. 'I'm sure it's fine. It hasn't broken at all since Noctis sealed it away.' I said, but I couldn't help but shiver as I stare at the parasite, as if the dark god is watching me through it. 'You heard our goddess, Nightshift. It is only temporary. This remnant of the Black Flame is different from the others and I don't want to be caught off guard when it escapes.'

I nod mentally in understanding. It would be really bad when it escapes and I wouldn't be prepared for it. The next dark phase could leave me uncontrolled and feral. It would put my friends and family in danger if that happens. I turned my focus back to the conversation of the real world to distract my worries. "What does it look like we're doing? Dragon training!" Ruffnut answers Hiccup's question as Tuffnut picks up the Night Terror who struggles to escape. I could see Tyse's eye twitch in the corner of my eye. "You would think that you, of all people, would recognize that. Now prepare to be amazed, my friend. Okay, ready, little guy?" "Yes!" It was a young voice so I'm guessing it was a teenager. Tuffnut lets the Terror go and turns around to look at Tuffnut. "Shake!" Tuffnut commanded.

Night Terror soon lifts itself up with it's hind legs and falls forward and begins shaking his body on his back like he's taking care of an itch. Tyse loses her annoyance and a small smile appears as she looks at the young terror in happiness and joy. I couldn't help but join Tuffnut's laugh with a small chuckle. "Right?" Tuffnut says as we turned from the dragon to him. "See, you thought it'd be a handshake, he's put out his paw, but I taught him to-" He tried to explain but Hiccup interrupts him. No, no, we understand. I'm just not sure how useful a skill that is." Hiccup says. "Well that's not all he does. You wanna see him get my slippers." Tuffnut says pridefully as Sharlene grunts. "The Vulon Maar are not pets, Tuffnut of Clan Thorston. They're an integral part of our security system along with the Tah-nin." Tuffnut's response was to continue his explanation of training. "He can solve math problems by stomping his foot, as long as the answer is always three." He puts out three fingers.

Hiccup approaches him and puts an arm around him. "She has a point, Tuffnut." "And you already have a pet." I added pointing to Chicken who clucks. Tuffnut glances at Hiccup and me and shrugs. "Eh." "Dagur could park a whole fleet right offshore and we wouldn't even know they were there because the Night Terrors aren't on their perches." Astrid explains as Tyse added to her response. "And the Tah-nins can't do both day and night cycles. They need sleep. This is why we cycle between my siblings and the Tah-nins that way one of them can warn us if any ships approach." "Lighten up, Astrid, Tyse. Dagur doesn't even know where Dragon's Edge is." Snotlout said as I rolled my eyes at his stupidity. Astrid approaches him and gets in his face. "Not yet. But if you guys don't take this seriously, he will soon enough." She says, tapping his chest. "I say bring it on!" Snotlout says arrogantly. "Let him bring that weak sauce in here. Hookfang and I will pummel his deranged butt. Especially with these."

Snotlout takes out two gauntlets from his back and puts them on. He closes his fists and Monstrous Nightmare claws covered in flames spiked out from the gauntlets. He swings and punches with them before he releases and the claws retract back into the gauntlets as the flames dissipate. "With these babies, Dagur doesn't have a chance. Especially with Shifter blood added to the mix." "And I have told you Snotlout that our blood is sacred and shouldn't be used casually. It is our lifeblood, our gift. The very blood that Noctis blessed us with. For it to be used improperly is to insult us and dishonor our ancestors." Tyse says seriously as Crusher adds his two cents. "Emergency only." "And that is why we only have a capsule each on our person. We shouldn't rely on it. We can get through it with our own strength and talents." Fishlegs pipes us as we smile at him. "Couldn't put it better myself." I said before I turned to and got tackled and knocked to the ground with my face covered by a Terrible Terror.

"Oh dear." I heard Fishlegs say as I sat up and pulled the small dragon off my face. I glared at him and he sheepishly. "Forgive me, Alpha Shifter, but I bring urgent news!" He chirped as I noticed the piece of paper tied to his leg. I took it off of him and let the terrible terror go, allowing him to climb on my shoulder. I unrolled the message and read it. "Matt, What is it?" Hiccup asked, wondering what the message said. I reread the message in case I misunderstood but I frowned in worry seeing that it was true. "It's Berk." I looked up at them. "They were attacked." Everyone widens their eyes in shock and worry before Hiccup narrows his eyes. "Okay, Gang. We're heading back to Berk to make sure everyone is alright." Hiccup ordered as everyone mounted their dragons. I turned to the Shifters as they shifted their dragon forms. "No. I need you three to stay behind." I ordered as they looked at me. "But we can help." Tyse says in concern for me and my family. I understand where she was coming from but I shook my head. "No. We need you to here in case Dagur shows up while we're gone. I trust you three to protect this place."

Sharlene, Crusher and Tyse looked at each other in silent communication before nodding. "We shall protect the Edge until you return, alpha." "Crusher crush those who harm island." "Just be careful. This could be a trap." The three said as I nodded. "Thank you. We'll be back." I transformed into my Night Fury form and leapt into the air and flew toward my friends to catch up to them and to Berk.

It was the beginning of morning and we were getting close to Berk. As soon as we arrived, we see the village was damaged and burned. We saw Chief Stoick approach us with Skullcrusher to meet us in the air. "Sons, I'm glad you're here." Stoick says to Hiccup and Matt. "Who did this? Dagur?" Hiccup questioned as Matt flew past us and landed near a few vikings who were struggling to lift up a pillar from one of the damaged huts which landed on a down vikings leg. I noticed the hut about to fall as Matt transforms into his human form and pushes the vikings away from the down pillar. "Move!" He commands before grabs a hold of the pillar, digging his claws into the wood and lifts the pillar off the viking and tosses it away. The vikings soon join him and pull the injured viking away from the hut as Matt dives out as the hut collapses where they used to be. I couldn't help but gasp in worry before sighing when I see Matt land with a roll and turn to the vikings in concern. "Is everyone okay?" He asked as the vikings turned to him. "His foot is mangled, but he'll live. Thank you, Matt. We would have lost him if you didn't show up and help." "It's what I do." Matt says with a smile before rushing off to help more survivors.

I turned back to the Chief as he answers Hiccup's questions. "It was a hit-and-run attack. Catapults and volleys of fire arrows mostly. Hit a few buildings in town." He then turns to me. "Astrid, one of them was your parent's house." My eyes widen as my breath was forced out of me. 'My parents house!? No! Mom! Dad!' I didn't want to hear what Stoick had to say next because I urged Stormfly to fly quickly directly to my home. Once Stormfly lands I quickly dismount and rushed to my home only to find it completely destroyed. I couldn't speak and just before I was going to rush forward before Gobber walked over to me covered in ash and soot and carrying a bucket and his helmet. "Relax, lass. Your parents are fine." He says as he puts his helmet back on. "They were at the yak races. I'm sorry we couldn't save your house." I couldn't help but innerly sigh in relief that they were alright but I could not but think what would of happened if they didn't go to the yak races. I grabbed my arm as I worriedly thought about it. "If they had been home, Gobber-" "But they weren't. It'll be alright, lass. We'll get this place rebuilt good as new." Gobber says, trying to comfort me as I continue to stare at my destroyed home.

Then we heard sobbing and turned to see one a woman crying over a man with his eyes close. He wasn't breathing. "Excuse me, lass." Gobber says to me before quickly hobbling over to them. I then noticed Matt a few feet away from where they were and I could see him staring at the couple. I walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder and he turns to me with so much sadness and pain in his eyes. I hugged him gently and the moment I did, he quickly hugged me back and dug his face into my shoulder. He was shaking and I felt his tears going down my shoulder. "I-I tried to s-save him." He sobbed and I gently rock him. "I know, Matt. I know." I shushed as he cries as I looked back to the woman crying for her husband and my burned house. This can't happen again.

"All right, now that the fires are out, Sven, you start the wall repairs. Bucket, you're in charge of roofs." I ordered the men as they walked off to their duties. I then turned behind me to watch my son, Hiccup, order his group. "Snotlout, Ruff, Tuff you ferry whatever supplies they need. Fishlegs, you and Meatlug do the heavy lifting. I'll go looking for Dagur along with Matt." I couldn't help but be proud of the man Hiccup is becoming. He'll be ready to become Chief one day. "It was a strange attack, son. A single ship." I informed him. "It fired a few salvos, and then just turned tail and ran." Hiccup frowns as he mounts Toothless. "That's not Dagur's style. Why attack at all?"

That is a good question. Why attack us when Dagur knows Hiccup and the others are looking for him. What does he have to gain in all this? "Good question." I said, rubbing my beard in thought. "I'll tell you what. I'll ask him when me and Matt find him." I should probably tell him where Dagur went, but I don't believe Matt is ready. Gobber told me what happened to Vikar Solmun. Matt tried to save him but it was too late. The injuries he took during the attack were threatening and even if he survived, he wouldn't last for another week. Arnora was heartbroken and Matt was shaken. He saw dead and even killed before but Matt was shaken for people who died for Berk. People he considers friends and family with. That's what Berk was for him. Family. A family that took him in when he was alone. Stoick couldn't help but look back at how happy Matt was when Berk accepted him and adopted him as their own. He understands the boy's pain. He may be a dragon, but he still was a child. A Berkian.

"He was heading north. That's your best bet. But Matt needs to stay here." My son looks at me confused. "Why? With him, I could search for Dagur much faster." Hiccup asked as Toothless looks at me in confusion as I frowned. "Vikar is dead. Matt tried to save him but the injuries he took was too much." Hiccup widens his eyes in shock as the dragon looks at me in concern before whipping his head around searching. I put my hand on his head and he looked at me in worry. I understood the dragon's worry. They were after all brothers. "Astrid is comforting him. He'll be alright." I said softly as the dragon slowly nods and purred. "Okay, dad. We'll go by ourselves. Let's go, bud." Hiccup says as the two take off. I turned back to the village to help rebuild and guide the people. They need their Chief.

I couldn't find Dagur. He had too much of a head start on me. I searched all day for any sign of him and got nothing. I gripped on the saddle tightly as I frowned. Toothless turned his head to glance at me in worry. "You alright, Hiccup?" I blinked and sighed as I scratched his head. "Yeah. I'm just upset we couldn't find him, bud. I can't believe Vikar is gone. I remember he was one of few vikings who were kind to me, before I met you, bud. He and Arnora." I sighed. Poor Arnora. I can't understand how she feels. "I'm sorry, Hiccup. And I worry for Nightshift. He doesn't do well with loss." "I know."

When we arrived back to Berk and headed to the Dragon Academy it was getting close to dusk. Once we arrived inside, I dismounted and noticed Meatlug's feet in buckets of water. "Uh, is Meatlug okay?" I asked in confusion to Fishelgs. Fishlegs turned to me while he was tending to her. "Of course, she'll be fine. But all that taking off and landing is tough on her insoles." "Yes, dear. All is well. Just need a bit of cool water." Meatlug growled motherly as she moved around. "Oh, okay." I said, a little confused by that. "Well, I couldn't find any sign of dagur, but he did almost have a full day's head start on me." I said, rubbing my head before turning to the Twins. "How'd you two do on the repairs?" I then noticed the stuff behind them. Why is that there?

"Awesome. We fixed so many houses." Tuffnut says with a smile. "Yeah, but everybody was so grateful. They just gave us all this food." I raised an eyebrow at Ruffnut's response as I eyed the food. I highly doubt that. "They also gave us this furniture." Tuffnut says, waving a hand at a pile of furniture. "They just left it in front of their houses for us." I was about to respond before I heard Sven panicking behind me. "Hiccup! It's a terrible tragedy! Someone's been looting the burned houses, taking food, furniture…" I looked at the twins with a raised eyebrow, seeing Ruffnut holding a gold necklace while on the wooden chair. "Anything valuable they can get their hands on." Ruffnut notices me looking at her and hides the necklace. "That's horrible! What kind of world do we live in?" Ruffnut pretended to be shocked with an uneasy smile. I looked at the Twins blankly as they gave me sheepish smiles before I mentally sigh and turn to Sven. "Don't worry, Sven. I'm pretty sure It'll reappear. Very quickly." I gently pushed Sven out toward the entrance of Dragon's Edge and at the end of my sentence looked at the Twins with a frown, implying they will return what they looted.

I then heard Stormfly and looked to the side to see her landing. Astrid and Matt dismount and I could see them looking down. I walked over to them. I asked Astrid first. "Astrid, how's your family?" I asked, wanting to know if they were okay. "They're okay, their house…" Astrid pauses and takes a hold of her arms as Matt looks away. "The house I grew up in, is gone." "I'm sorry, Astrid." I said with a sincere frown before looking at Matt who was still looking away. "Matt? I heard about Vikar. I'm sorry we couldn't get here in time." Matt takes a deep breath before turning to me. "I should've done more. Now he's dead because of me." Matt sniffles as Astrid puts a hand on his shoulder for comfort. "It wasn't your fault. There was no way he could have survived with the injuries he took." I tried to comfort him. "There is always a way." Matt says softly.

It was an awkward silence before Snotlout approached. "Hey, Astrid, do you need a shoulder to cry on?" Snotlout asked as he put an arm on her shoulder. 'Oh Snotlout, don't you learn from the last times?' I mentally asked myself as Astrid glances at Snotlout's arm before taking it with a grip and spinning him around, causing him to scream, before she throws him away causing him to lean on the wall upside down. "Pain." He groans as Astrid approaches him and kneels down with a smile and puts a hand out to him to help him up. "Thanks, Snotlout, I really needed that." Snotlout smiles uncomfortably and takes the hand. "Your welcome." He grunts as he stands back up and holds his hurt arm. "I know my role."

I approached the two and began announcing the next plan. "Listen up, everyone." I said as I got everyone's attention. "Dagur was last seen fleeing due north. By my calculations, he could be heading out of the archipelago. So, we go back to Dragon's Edge first thing tomorrow. We'll use that as our base to search for him. Now just go back to your houses, get a good night's sleep." I said before turning to Astrid who walked over to Stormfly. 'Right, she doesn't have a home to sleep.' "Where are you guys staying tonight?" I asked. Astrid pulls a leather sheet off of Stormfly as she answers with Matt beside her. "I figured Stormfly and I would just bed down here." "And I am going to join her." Matt says. That gave me an idea. "W-What a coincidence. I'm sleeping here, too." I said with a smile.

Toothless appears behind me with a confused grunt. "You are?" Matt gives me a small glare of suspicion, knowing that I made it up. "Why? You have a warm bed and a house." Astrid says confused. I came up with a logical, if hopefully, a believable answer. "Yeah, but, the wa y my dad snores, sawing logs, you know. Toothless and I wouldn't get a wink." Astrid glances at Matt for an answer and he looks at me with a raised eyebrow and puts an awkward smile towards him, hoping he'll back me up. He glances over to the sheet in Astrid's arms and frowns sadly, possibly thinking about her house. "Uh, yeah. Stoick can be quite like a dragon when sleeping, specifically like a Thunderdrum. Loud snorers they are." He says with a small chuckle.

"Yeah," Fishlegs suddenly appeared beside me carrying his own bed sheet. "Meatlug and I were gonna stay here too, just for old times' sake." "Yes, exactly, dear." Meatlug growled. "Uh-uh. Nobody is having a sleepover." Snotlout says leaning on Hookfang. "Yes. It is ridiculous." "Without Hookfang and me." Snotlout finished laughing, causing a confused grunt from Hookfang as Snotlout unrolls the sheet. Well I was just thinking about myself but this works too. Astrid and Matt need this.

I was now dark and we had a small campfire in the middle of the academy with us surrounding it. We were preparing for bed as the night got cooler. "Thanks, guys. This is kind of nice." Astrid says as everyone goes to sleep. Well, everyone except for me and Astrid. I was laying down next to her, trying to fall asleep but I couldn't stop thinking about what I should have done to save the villagers' homes. My friends and tribe. Even what I could have done to avoid Vikar's death. I glanced up at Astrid who noticed me looking at her and frowned, seeing my eyes full of guilt and sadness. "Come on." She whispered standing up, wanting to avoid waking up our friends. "A night's walk should help us sleep." I nod and stealthily follow her out. She grabs her axe from Stormfly's saddle and we head out toward Berk.

We walked for a few minutes in the village in peaceful silence. I looked at the fixed houses so far before I felt a presence behind us. I glanced behind us and I was surprised to see Stoick catching up to us. "Can't sleep, eh?" Stoick asked us, causing Astrid to turn to him, a little surprise he wasn't in bed. "Not a wink." Astrid answered with a frown. "Same." I answered. "Can't stop thinking about what you might have done to prevent the attack?" Stoick guessed. He was right and saw right through us. We looked down in sadness before we felt him touch our shoulders, causing us to stop and turn to him. "There's nothing you could have done. You two know that." "We know, Stoick. We know it up here." I pointed at my head. "But in our heart-" "You still blame yourselves." Stoick finished with an understanding look. "I know the feeling. We're warriors, you two and I. Sworn to protect."

"Then how do we make this feeling go away?" I questioned, wanting to know the answer as he gently took mine and Astrid's shoulders. "You don't. You can't. So, you own it. You remember it. And you do everything you can to make sure you never feel it again." He said taking our chins up gently with a small smile. We sighed as we thought about his answer. How do we do that? My thoughts were interrupted when Stoick patted our backs. "Come on, I'll check the docks with you." As he led us to the docks. "Thank you, Stoick." I said, grateful for him comforting us. "Your welcome, son." He said as we head to the docks.

After a few hours of walking, we headed back to the academy while talking. "We can't let this happen again." Astrid says as I nod. "Agreed. We already lost Vikar and some of our homes. Without us here, Berk is vulnerable. Not that I'm saying they aren't good fighters, but they are more likely to get hurt." I explained. "I understand. Just how are we supposed to defend Berk and Dragon's Edge when we can't be two places at once?" Astrid asked in frustration. My eyes widen as an idea forms in my head. "What if… we can be in two places at once."

Astrid stops and turns to me, interested in what I had to say. "You have an idea?" I nodded as I looked at the academy. "What if we trained another group of vikings to become dragon riders like us?" Astrid widens her eyes before she smiles and rubs my head causing me to purr and blush in embarrassment. "You were always a smart dragon. That's a great idea. And this will allow us to stay on Berk longer so we can train them. And protect our home from Dagur. As long as it takes." I nod in agreement before frowning. Something in Astrid's words didn't seem right. She notices and sighs. "Matt. You know we can't let this happen again. And even if we trained them, they still wouldn't have experience in a fight. Not like you and me." I slowly nod, understanding what she was saying. Training for something and facing something are two completely two different things.

"I understand what you're saying, Astrid. I want to stay here to protect our people too. But Hiccup-" "Matt, do you trust me?" I froze, shocked by that question. Of course I trust her, while a little headstrong, she's the third most important person to me. "Of course I do." I answered her seriously. "Then trust that I know what I'm doing." She says with a smile. I slowly nod. "Okay. But what will we tell Hiccup?" I asked. "I'll tell him the truth. That we are staying here to train new dragon riders." She told me. "And if he figures out that we are staying more than we should be?" She pauses for a moment. "We'll… cross that bridge when it comes to it." She says. I raised an eyebrow before shrugging. "I suppose that will have to do." We headed back to the academy and went back to our sheets. I layed down and closed my eyes.

It was now morning and I was slowly blinking to wake myself up. I got a few hours of sleep at least. I yawned and stretched my limbs like a cat before sitting up just as Hiccup walks over and kneel down next to me and Astrid. "Hey. You two get any sleep last night?" "Eh, we spent most of the night thinking." Astrid says as I yawn. "I got a few winks in."

"So we slept on the ground for Astrid and Matt?" I overheard Tuffnut speaking with Fishlegs. "Yes, in a show of support." Fishlegs says as he picks up his sheet. "Wow, I completely missed that!" I chuckled before I noticed Snotlout holding his back in pain. "Ow, my back." Snotlout groaned before Hookfang swats him away into the wall, causing Snotlout to bounce off and rolled backwards and stands up. "Ah, thanks, Hookfang." Snotlout says happy causing me to snort in laughter. That was funny.

"Well, we're wings up in an hour. Let me help you with your gear." I glanced over to Astrid upon Hiccup saying that. Astrid glances back at me and we both nod. "Hiccup, we've made a decision. We're not going back to Dragon's Edge. We're staying here, on Berk." Hiccup looks at us in shock. "Whoa! You're staying here? Wehn did you two decide this?" Hiccup questioned as I spoke for me and Astrid this time. "Last night, when we were talking to our father." I said, looking at Stoick who came in a few moments ago. "We're warriors, Hiccup. We live by a code." He told Hiccup as I continued speaking. "We are not leaving Berk defenseless again. We can't." I said. Hiccup tries to convince us to think otherwise. "Astrid, Matt, one dragon and one shifter wouldn't have made a difference." He said taking our shoulders. I narrowed my eyes. "A single Shifter can destroy an army. It can make a difference." I growled, but calmed down when Astrid say her piece. "We know that. Hiccup, we're gonna stay and train new riders."

"What?" Hiccup says shock. "An auxiliary." I said with a nod. "A backup team just for situations like this." "That's, uh, actually a pretty good idea." Hiccup admits as I smile. "Of course it is. It was my idea to begin with." I laughed. 'And a good idea it was. You were constantly worrying about Berk for so long, I couldn't sleep at all.' Wolf chuckled. "Excuse me, I couldn't help overhearing your conversation, because I was eavesdropping." I groaned when Snotlout started speaking. "Maybe next time you can mind your own business." I growled, which he ignores."If you need instructors for this new dragon-training deal, I'm your man." I rolled my eyes at Snotlout. "A Snotlout-trained rider will be able to anticipate his dragon's every move. It's like chess, except I don't know how to play chess."

'Isn't that a board game from the main island we came across years ago? What was it called? London, England?' Wolf purred in confusion. 'I thought it was india? I guess it doesn't matter.' I watched as Snotlout ducks underneath Hookfang's tail without looking. "See what I mean?" I bragged before he gets hit by Hookfang's tail and launched away. "Checkmate." He groaned as I chuckle. "Good try, Snotlout. But a Shifter would have easily done better and counter." I laughed. "Sorry, Snotlout, but Matt and I will be doing all the training ourselves." Astrid says before turning to Hiccup. "This is something we need to do, Hiccup."

Hiccup smiles and turns to the gang. "Okay, change of plan. Snotlout, twins, Fishlegs, you'll follow Dagur's trail north of the Archipelago. If you don't find him, resupply at the Edge and keep searching. And tell the Shifters to keep an eye out." Me and Astrid frown as I crossed my arms. "Hiccup, what part of 'Matt and I will be doing all the training' wasn't clear to you?" "I'll just patrol the area around Berk, in case Dagur doubled back. You won't even know we're here. Right, bud?" Hiccup says with a smile. "Yeah! We're just patrolling. Not keeping an eye on you?" Toothless growls happily to Astrid. "You're forgetting I understand you." I growled in dragon. Toothless merely gives me his 'toothless' smile in response.

"Okay then. Of course this all assumes anyone would even want to try out for our B-team." Astrid with a shrug. "I wouldn't be surprised if the whole village comes in to become dragon riders." 'Wow. Thirteen potential dragon riders. Things are looking up.' Wolf purred as I narrowed my eyes at group. 'Maybe, if they have the guts for it.' I replied mentally as I stood next to Astrid. My eyes strolled each one seeing familiar faces. 'Gustav. More experienced with dragon riding with Fanghook. He'll definitely be top of the class.' I mentally thought when my eyes landed on the kid. 'Of course he's a bit of an idiot and a teenager with puberty.' Wolf added.

My eyes land on Gothi. 'Um… should she be here?' I questioned a little concern for the old woman. 'Why? Because she's old? She holds much wisdom and experience.' Wolf purred confused. 'And she's the only healer on Berk.' I replied. '...Touche. Look, I'm sure she'll be fine. Many elder Shifters were in fact the greatest fighters.' 'She isn't a Shifter though.' 'Meh details.''

My eyes land on Sven. "Ah the once 'silent' Sven. Wonder how he'll do.' 'Who knows. He knows sheep and animals but he doesn't know about riding dragons. So we'll see if he can do this or not.'

My eyes land on Bucket and Mulch. 'Experience fighters and experienced builders. They could be adequate dragon riders.' 'Oh yes. One who is a worrier while the other is a mentally retarded viking with a bucket for a head.' I mentally glared at Wolf for that. 'What? It's true. Okay, maybe they'll be good dragon riders, but I'm just saying that they are going to be a hindrance.' 'And Gustav wasn't?' I retorted. 'At least the hatchling has more training and experience being a rider.' 'But in the beginning?' I waited for Wolf's answer and heard a sigh. 'Alright then. You won the argument.'

I smiled in victory and browsed another familiar face. Spitelout. 'An older Snotlout.' 'No argument here. He's going to be a pain to deal with if he's anything like Snotlout, but he'll definitely be skilled.' I nod in agreement and turned my gaze to the other potential riders before they landed on a surprising face I didn't expect to see.

It was a woman with black hair and was more slimmer than any Viking woman on Berk. She was wearing a brown vest with a deep purple undershirt, a brown skirt with metal X patterns like buttons and Leather black shoes. She had a young face with a few wrinkles and soul crushing red eyes. An uncommon color for most people. This woman was Arnora.

'What is she doing here?' I questioned in shock, looking at Arnora who had a determined look on her face. 'The loss of her husband must have brought her here. When she heard about the try outs it made her determined to come here, to protect her home and the family she has left here. That's what I'm guessing. Or a way for revenge. I'm hoping that's not the case though.' 'Me neither.' I thought before looking away when I saw her turn to look at me. I still feel guilty about her husband.

I looked at Astrid and she looked at me and nodded and I nod back and approached the group. We looked at them critically before Astrid spoke first. "So, you all want to be dragon riders, huh?" Astrid says, walking across the vikings, tossing an apple in the air. "Looks like fun, right? Well, it isn't. It's hard. And it's dangerous." Astrid says before Spitelout laughs boisterously. "Dangerous? You came to the right place if you want dangerous." He says pridefully as I smile. "Well, that's a relief." I said with a smile as Astrid placed the apple on top of her head. "Stormfly, spine shot." Astrid commanded, not looking back. Not a second later, Stormfly tosses a spine, piercing the apple and hits the wall.

Spitelout glances at the side where the apple flew past him in shock as I smiled evilly. "Your turn." "Oh! Hold on. I'll need to stretch first. Limber up. I don't want to pull a hammy." Spitelout puts out an excuse and begins stretching. "I suppose we don't. Exercise is important to a dragon rider." I purred with a grin before looking at each of the vikings. "Who's next? You? You?" I approached a woman with a smile, putting an apple in front of her. She backs off in fear before she runs away in terror, along with a few vikings. "Hmm I must be scarier than I thought." I chuckled evilly as I looked at my victims- I mean cadets. Suddenly the apple was taken from me and I looked to see Arnora, who was the one that grabbed it, put the apple on top of her helmet with a determined look.

"Well, lad, lass? I'm ready." Arnora said with a smirk. Astrid and I glanced at each other before I growled. "Stormfly." "Got it!" Stormfly chirps and spines shot at the apple and pierced through it and hits the wall. Arnora never flinched nor said anything but showed that smirk of hers. I hummed in approval. "Okay, not bad." I said with a nod as Astrid began. "Okay, for those of you that are left, I suppose you'd like to meet your dragons." The recruits started muttering in excitement besides Arnora, who was still smirking. 'Cocky one, isn't she.' Wolf purred as I nodded.

A few minutes later, Astrid was handing out brooms to the recruits. I raised an eyebrow but didn't comment on it. "Here you go." She hands Spitelout one. "This looks like a Changewing." She hands one to Mulch. "You get a Gronckle." She hands one to Gothi. I hear Gustav laughing and I take the last broom and hand it to him, making him stop laughing. "And what are you laughing at? Oh look, it's a Sweeping Death. One of the most dangerous of dragons." I said sarcastically with Gustav grumbling.

We begin the first routine, jogging around with the brooms between everyone's legs. "Flying in formation can save your life." I instructed, taking the lead of everyone while Astrid watched from the sideline. "It can hide your numbers, like the single file formation. It can allow you to cover each other's flank or-" I became interrupted when Bucket knocked everyone to the ground, except for Arnora who dodged away. I looked back with a disappointed glare. "Well done, Bucket. You just got everybody killed." Bucket looks down in guilt. "Sorry, everybody." "Drop and give us 20." Astrid ordered. Bucket gets on the ground and begins push ups. I mentally sighed. We got a lot of work to do.

I looked through the spyglass, watching as one of the dragon riders returned to where their base may be. I put the spyglass down and turned to savage. "Well, I'm waiting!" I said impatiently. "Using their direction and our other men's sightings, their base should be in this general area." I looked at the map and nodded with glee. "Oh, Hiccup and Matt, so soft-hearted and soft-headed. I knew my little attack on Berk would draw them and his lizard-flying friends out into the open. And you doubted me." I said with a smile walking past Savage. "Uh, I don't recall that I did." I turned around, glaring at Savage with my nose twitching in annoyance. "Then again, maybe it was me." Savage corrected himself. I turned back around and missed Savage sighing in relief as I laughed. "Hoo-hoo-hoo! The noose tightens." I laugh madly. "Assemble the fleet. We'll scour this area until we find Dragon's Edge.

"Uh sir. One question?" I growled and turned to Savage. "What is it now!?" I yelled, causing Savage to back up nervously. "What about the Shifters? They decimated our fleet last time." I put a hand on my face and dragged it down roughly with a groan. "Right. How to get even with them? Hmm hmm hmm." I put a hand on my chin before snapping my fingers. "Didn't we bring those containers with something in them with those anti-shifter weapons?" I questioned. "Uh, yes. The men looked at what was inside and instead of weapons, It was hundreds of capsules full of… well blood sir."

I looked at Savage in confusion. "Blood? Who would transport hundreds of capsules full of blood?" I asked in confusion with Savage shrugging. "No idea sir. But what we found from the catalog on board the ship. It said it was Shifter blood." I froze in shock before I grin manically. "Shifter blood you say? Hmm… now I wonder how we can use that to our advantage? HAHAHAHA!"

Well while Astrid was training on the next phase of training. I found a few dragons for the recruits to train and bond with. I got Sven a yellowish green Monstrous Nightmare. I got Gothi a purple Gronckle. Obviously Gustav has Fanghook. I got Spitelout, a orange and blue Deadly Nadder, Bucket and Mulch, a greenish blue Zippleback. Now for Arnora, I found out she had a dragon like Gustav. It wasn't wasn't like any common type of dragon on Berk. No, she was able to tame a dark green Thunderdrum. Astrid and I glanced at each other in surprise before resuming training.

We had everyone on their dragons with me in my Night Fury form and Astrid sitting cross legged on Stormfly. "Okay. Repeat after me." Astrid ordered. "This is my dragon. There are many like it, but this one is mine!" "This is my dragon. There are many like it, but this one is mine." Everyone repeated. "We can't hear you!" I yelled. "This is my dragon. There are many like it, but this one is mine." They repeated, but louder this time. Gothi didn't speak so she wrote quickly. "I still can't hear you!" Astrid yells while leaning over to look at Gothi. "This is my dragon! There are many like it, but this one is mine!" At the end, Gothi panted and Astrid turns to her. "Drop and give me 20."

Gothi looks ahead blankly before allowing herself to drop off the Gronckle and begins struggling with pushups. "Isn't that a little harsh? She's mute. She can't exactly say anything." I argued quietly so that the others couldn't hear. Astrid turns to me with a frown. "We want everyone to prepare until they are absolutely ready for combat." "I know, Astrid. But can we at least be a little more gentle." "Do you want another person to die?" Astrid questioned as I slowly growled at her. "That's a low blow, 'sis'. Fine. We'll continue this, but if one dies from exhaustion it's on you." I hissed before walking away. 'Don't take her too seriously. She wasn't trying to hurt you.' 'I know but she can be really frustrated when she does that.' I exit the academy and looked out before I allowed myself to cry. I can't let anyone else die again. I refuse to let it happen again. I brushed the tears away, took a deep breath to calm myself before heading back to further train the recruits with Astrid.

Nightshift stayed behind on Berk, along with Hiccup and Astrid. Fishlegs told me what happened. Some of the houses were destroyed and a viking man died. Nightshift tried to save him but he wasn't able to. I know how he feels. I tried to save someone back from my past. A sister, who was too broken, too fractured to put back together. THEY broke her, like THEY broke me. The difference? I escaped but she couldn't. I ended her suffering.

I quickly wipe the tears that begin to pour down my face. I couldn't let the others see me like this. I'm supposed to be the most terrifying, happy go-lucky sexy assassin Shifter. Not emotional, broken, guilting hatchling. It was a good thing I did because Sharlene approached me. "No sign of Dagur. But I am suspicious. One ship? Why would Dagur send one ship to attack Berk?" I thought about Sharlene's question. "Hmm. He doesn't know our location, yet he knows we're after him. He was trying to lure us away." I thought about it a little more before nodding. "Yes, he was luring us away. And he's using his men to track where we are exiting and returning from Dragon's Edge."

Sharlane frowns. "So he knows where Dragon's Edge is." "He doesn't know the exact location, but it won't be long til he finds us." "Then we kill him and his men. He can't match our power." Sharlene says coldly. I couldn't help but frown. I had this feeling that it wouldn't be this simple. I had a feeling that Dagur would be stronger this time. "I don't know. Something tells me that it isn't that simple." I said as Sharlene frowned. "Hmm, nothing is. He is weak but that does not mean we should underestimate him. Very well, we should keep our eyes and ears open." Sharlen says as she walks off.

"Who's ready to get out there and search for Dagur?" Fishlegs says with a smile. I glanced around me to see Snotlout and Hookfang sleeping on the ground while Tuffnut and Ruffnut played with one of my siblings. Crusher looks around before raising his large hand. "Crusher ready." Crusher causing me to giggle. "Come here! Come here! Yes, that's it." Tuffnut momentarily looks up. "Sorry, I am very busy doing research." Then he went back to playing. "Guys! Astrid, Hiccup and Sharlene told you to leave the Night Terrors alone. And you have a pet already, remember?" Fishleg complained with Chicken ruffling her feathers behind Tuffnut. "I know you're nodding back there. I can hear your feathers ruffling. You stay out of it!" Chicken clucks in annoyance and walks off.

I approached, tilting my head. "They're supposed to be lookouts. As funny as they are." I said seriously. "Oh, yeah? Then how come he's so good at fetching things?" Tuffnut challenged. "Leg." He ordered and my younger sibling clamps on my leg. I looked at my sibling sternly and hissed. "Off, Kiir." The dragon immediately lets go and flies back to Tuffnut with a frightened chirp. Fishlegs groans in anger. "Okay, I guess Meatlug and I are going searching alone." Fishlegs says sternly and walks away. I glanced over to Sharlene and Crusher and the two of them nod.

Fishlegs glance back to see if they changed their mind before seeing Sharlene and Crusher approaching him. "We shall accompany you." Sharlene replies. Crusher nods in agreement, carrying his large hammer. Fishlegs sighs in relief. "To be honest I thought I would have to patrol alone." He admitted sheepishly. Crusher pats Fishlegs's shoulder gently. "Not worry about Legs of Fish. Crusher come." Crusher spoke happily as Fishlegs smiled as the three walked off.

I glanced behind me and sighed. "Since you two are keeping my siblings distracted, I will be lookout." I said before separating and shifting into my Night Terror swarm form and going to the lookout posts to keep an eye on things.

It's been a few days since we first started training and now we are doing target practice. I pushed the target in view as Astrid explained the drill. "Today's exercise is to dive at the target, do a barrel roll to avoid enemy fire, and then hit the target with a blast." "Doing this will keep you safe while attacking but please be aware that doing a barrel roll while firing back is not as simple as you think. It's hard but once you master it, you'll be able to get through." I added as Astrid takes to the air with Stormfly.

Astrid and Stormfly flew for a moment before diving to the target, a barrel roll and fired a blast of flames at the target, hitting it. I even saw Stormfly snuck a spine in the center of the bullseye. "As you can see, a perfect score. Now it's your turn." I said as I crossed my arms.

The first one to do the exercise was Spitelout who did the maneuver successfully however he missed the target. "Fail!" Astrid yelled. "You've got to be joking!" Spitelout complained. "We are not. Gothi! You're next!" I yelled to the elder who nodded and mounted her dragon and took to the air. Gothi and her dragon dived and barrel rolled, however, instead of blasting the target, Gothi kept her Gronckle upside down while she's hanging and kicked down the target. "Yes! Gothi coming in hot!" I heard Hiccup yell proudly. I couldn't help but smile but I wiped it to keep myself serious as Astrid speaks. "Fail! To be a dragon rider, you actually have to ride on the dragon."

I nod as I approach Gothi and help her up as I turn to the group of rookies. "She is right. If against a single target, it would prove successful. However, against a group, you would all be surrounded on all sides and put down. Dead. You and your dragon. We aren't here to see creative ways to take out a target. No, you are here to learn. And listen. To survive and protect your home." My gaze turns to Bucket and Mulch. "Bucket! Mulch! You're up."

Bucket and Mulch weren't exactly controlling their dragon well during the barrel roll and ended upside down. Bucket was screaming in terror but somehow they hit the target. But instead of flying away, the Zippleback instead did circles low to the ground, Bucket's helmet grinding and causing sparks. "We watched this multiple times before Astrid set their score. "Fail." She said as I added my comment. "While you did hit the target, you had no control during the maneuver nor your dragon. To be a dragon rider you have to control your dragon. So unfortunately you fail. Next!" I yelled as I heard Hiccup complain from above. "Oh, come on! You got to count that."

Next was Sven, who did the maneuver right but missed the target. To fix this, Sven pulls out his axe and dives in and throws the axe at the target, hitting it in its head as the human and dragon pass by. I was about to say that he passed but before I did. "Cheating. Fail." Astrid yelled out and I turned to her in surprise. While Sven didn't use the maneuver correctly, it was still a hit regardless. "Astrid… are you sure we should fail him? Technically he did hit the target. Just not what we're expecting."

Astrid turns to me and frowns. "They need to do it correctly otherwise they'll die once they face combat." She told me and I in return frowned before sighing. "Fine, but I don't agree." I told her before turning to the rookies and spoke loudly. "While Sven did hit the target with his axe, thanks to his quick thinking when his dragon missed the target, we had to fail him due to the fact that it made him vulnerable. While it's a small opening, it can still lead him and his dragon to get hurt. Remember you are here to learn. Please follow our instructions. No more creative stunts." I said with a glare as I walked up to the rookies who shifted uncomfortably before I canceled it. "What are they doing?" I heard Hiccup say in confusion as I turned to Arnora and her Thunderdrum.

I frowned at her as I stared at them. I remember her limped over Vikar's body, her husband, sobbing her heart out. The man I failed to save. I must've kept staring for too long because she frowns and speaks. "Ya alright, lad?" I blinked to keep myself from tearing up in front of everyone and cleared my throat. "Your next, Arnora." My voice pitched a little too high in the end. Arnora frowns more and nods and mounts, as I turn around and walk back to Astrid. I could still feel Arnora's gaze on me and everyone else's. Even Astrid looked at me in concern as I walked next to her and turned back around as Arnora and her Thunderdrum took to the air. I glanced over to Astrid and noticed her still staring at me with a concern frown before looking back up.

I looked back up as well and watched Arnora and her Thunderdrum dive and do the barrel roll successfully before the Thunderdrum pushed out a wave of sound at the target directly hitting it and causing it to fall down as she and her dragon passed by. I glanced over to Astrid and I noticed the conflict in her features. Was she seriously about thinking about failing Arnora for doing it correctly? I know she said she wants to stay here longer to protect Berk but this isn't the right way, but I do agree with her. Somewhat. She glances over to me and puts my best puppy eyes on her and she sighs. "Pass. Well done, Arnora. Gustav, you're next!" Astrid says as Gustav chuckles and hops on Fanghook and takes to the sky.

We watched the two perform the maneuver successfully and even hit the target. "Fai-" Astrid stops herself seeing Gustav actually hit the target and quickly adds, "Lucky shot. Do it again." We watched the two do the maneuver again successfully and Fanghook fired a blast of fire at the target. Suddenly Astrid quickly kicked the target away and made Gustav miss. I looked at her with a frown as Gustav complained. "Hey! That's not fair!" "Element of surprise, key to any battle. Now land and give me twenty." She ordered him as I turned to the rookies. "While a dirty move, she is right. The element of surprise can help you in battle and spread chaos to your enemies. But your enemies can use the element of surprise as well. Better to learn now than later." I said as everyone nodded.

But this didn't give Astrid satisfaction. "We need to start over. From scratch." Astrid says as she goes to the cart of broomsticks and takes them out and hands them over to the rookies. Arnora takes hers and frowns and was about to mount it but I stop her. Astrid frowns at me as I took Arnora's broom away and tossed it to the side. Astrid was about to speak but I quickly used my Shifter glare on her and she shut her mouth. I canceled my glare and turned back to Arnora. "Arnora, you did well for your first time. I am going to show you a few things to help you improve on your dragon riding skills. That is if that isn't a problem, Astrid?" I asked as I turned to her seriously.

Astrid frowns and turns back to the rookies and makes them begin riding around her with the broomsticks. "Who wants to fail next?" Astrid calls out. 'I'll take that as a yes.' Wolf purred as I turned to Arnora and told her to follow me as we walked out. I noticed Hiccup and Toothless by the entrance of the gate and stopped. "Wait for me." I told Arnora as I walked over to my brothers. "You enjoy watching the recruits train?" I asked with a smile. "I would if some of them had passed." Hiccup sighs. "Look, I know what you and Astrid are doing." "I don't know what you are talking about." I denied, looking away.

"Matt, You and Astrid are being tough on these guys. You want them to fail so you can have an excuse to stay here on Berk." Hiccup said as I growled and turned around. "Hiccup. We fail them so they can improve and protect Berk better. You're wrong in your assumption." "Matt, I get it. You want to stay on Berk and protect your family. But you can't be every second of every day for the rest of their lives. I just think you're letting Vikar's death getting to you." I whipped around and hissed at him in fury, making him step back in shock. Toothless instantly got between me and him and growled warningly at me.

"Calm down, Nightshift." Toothless growled, but I ignored him as my furious and hurt eyes kept digging into Hiccup. "It's my fault that Vikar is dead! I won't let anyone die again, Hiccup! I won't allow it to happen again! NEVER!" I roared before I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Lad." I froze and slowly turned around to meet Arnora. She was looking at me with a sad smile and I couldn't help but feel guiltier. She looks at Hiccup and nods. "Go on, lad. Go talk ta your lady friend. I'm going ta have a conversation with this one." Arnora says as she leads me away from the academy.

Arnora lead me to a cliff side and sat us down and looked out at the sea. I stayed silent as she begins speaking. "Ya know, Vikar and I would come to this cliffside on a day like this. We watched the sea together. It was peaceful, calming and full of surprises." Arnora chuckles as she pats her Thunderdrum. "We have been married for 15 years. Best years of ma life. And now… he's gone." I felt myself tearing up. "I'm so sorry." I whispered. "Don't." I see her growling.

My lip quivers as I begin to cry as I turned away. "...For it was not ya fault, lad." My head whipped faster than an arrow, looking at Arnora in shock. "W-What?" She chuckles as a sad smile appears. "Ya think ma would blame ya? Because ya couldn't save him? Lad, even if ya saved him it would only be a day of living. Gobber told ma of his injuries. Ya are a strong and capable lad." She looks at me with some tears in her eyes. "But ya still are a child. Ya can't protect everyone, lad. There will always be death and loss. Heartbreak and broken people. The only thing ya can do is move forward." She takes a hold of my shoulder as she wipes my tears away. "It is okay ta be weak and helpless. That is why ya have friends. Friends who care and love ya. As I have friends who care for me." She smiles as she stands up. "They keep us from falling apart from our failings. And failure is a part of life. Learn from it and look to the future. Think about it lad." She smiles. I looked down in thought as I gazed out to the sea. Is she right? Is failure part of life? That I can't save everyone? That I should move forward? 'Only you can make that decision, Nightshift. But she is right. You should focus on the future and not on the past.' Wolf purred as I slowly nod.

"So? Are ya going ta teach me a few things, lad?" I heard Arnora says as I looked to her. "Right so first things first-."

I yawned in one of my forms as i looked in the many eyes of myselves scattered in the lookout posts. Why did the Twins have to make my job harder by keeping my siblings distracted. 'It's amazing they attracted all of them.' I internally laugh with Reghi before stopping when I notice one of my forms spotting something coming toward our island. I put my main consciousness in the form that spotted the object and my eyes become slits. My vision instantly zoomed in and I gasp seeing an armada of ships heading toward Dragon's Edge quickly. I notice the sails and scowled. 'Dagur! He found us!' 'We must warn everyone!' Reghi screeched as I shifted in my human form and climbed out of the post and on top of it before breathing in deeply and released a loud screech. "SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!"

"Come on, little guy! Come on!" Tuffnut said as Ruffnut laughs while playing tug of war with the Night Terror's. Snotlout and Hookfang were still sleeping, not doing anything. I shook my head and turned to Fishlegs who frowns. "Idiots they are. They don't understand how important our mission is." I said to Fishlegs' "Ugh, it's fine. We didn't find Dagur anyway. I suppose we can just relax." Fishlegs says, yawning tiredly. I simply hum before suddenly we hear. "SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!"

Snotlout jolts awake screaming, covering his ears and Hookfang flames up and burns his rider. "AAAAAAHHHHHH!" He yells in pain. The Twins screamed and fell on their backs and covered their ears. "OW OW OW OW! MAKE IT STOP! THE PAIN!" Tuffnut and Ruffnut screamed out. Fishlegs covered his ears, squinting his eyes shut tightly. Crusher jolts awake and pulls out his hammer as the dragons become alerted. I too was alerted and shot out my wrist blades and turned to the entrance of the dome and walked to it. Soon the screech stopped and my human allies uncovered their ears.

"What in Thor's name is that!? That was terrible!" Snotlout yelled out in anger. "I am hurt!" Tuffnut called out in pain. "W-What was even that?" Fishlegs says in fear. "A warning call from Tyse." I said, my voice covered in steel and coldness as my eyes become slitted and my vision zooms in and I see Dagur's ships, heading directly towards us. "Dagur has found Dragon's Edge. Prepare for battle." I reached behind my head and pressed on a scale on the back of my neck. A click was heard as the scales began separating and forming more scales, forming around my head until it completely covered my face, completing my helmet. "War has come to our home." I growled out as Crusher steps out of the dome and punches a fist into the ground and pulls something out. Seeing the object in Crusher's large hand I smiled coldly.

"Ahh there it is, Savage. Dragon's Edge! Oooohoohoo!" I laughed, seeing my prize ahead of me with the spyglass. I turned my head to another one of my ships and see my men loading the catapults with boulders and on another ship with a catapult full of arrows, ready to be lit on fire. I turned to the other side and saw more catapults with the same ammo. I also see the Shifter weapons loading and primed with dark electrical energy coming from those crystals. I couldn't help but shiver in excitement.

I pulled out a vial of the Shifter blood and looked at it in glee. I had my men tested out and it turned out useless on things like weapons and armor until one of the men accidently drank some of the blood and became overpowered. He was faster, stronger! He even said that everything felt slower! He was like a Shifter! I laughed madly as I popped the lid and drank the blood. I felt every drop enter my mouth, down my throat until it was all empty. I threw the empty vial away as I felt power in my veins. I kneel down from the pressure of such power as my muscles contract and pulsed, my mind sharpens and my vision changes. It was so much! Mwahahahaha! I love it!

I stood up and roared. It was my normal roar and voice, nothing dragon like. I internally pouted in disappointment but I shrugged it off. Can't have everything. "Alright men! We're almost there! Once we reach Dragon's Edge, we will surprise them and catch them off guard! But we also have those Shifters to deal with! But we won't have to worry now that we are outfitted with more Anti-Shifter weapons and those awesome vials of blood so drink up boys! Because we're going to show them what we Berserkers can do!" I yelled out in glee. The men cried out for battle as I laughed loudly. Suddenly we heard a loud sound that made me cover my ears. ""SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!"

I pulled my hands out of my ears as I yelled out. "What in the name of Thor was that!?" I demanded an explanation. Wait a minute, I recognize that banshee likes screaming. I quickly pulled out the spyglass to my eye and looked directly at Dragon's Edge. I looked around the area before I passed something with glowing yellow orbs. I quickly looked back but it wasn't there anymore. I put down the spyglass in confusion before putting it back up only to regret it. She was there! Tyse! That demoness! And she was looking directly right at me. She wasn't smiling like last time. No, she was staring with a determined look on her face. This made me shiver in excitement and fear. Excitement for a rematch against that Shifter. Fear for something unknown. Something changed. I watched her open her mouth and spoke something. I payed attention and I read from her lips, "Look up." I mumbled in confusion.

I looked up and widened my eyes when I see a large boulder coming straight from Dragon's Edge heading toward us. And it was coming in fast! "BOULDER!" I yelled out only to come out too late. The boulder crashed into one the ships and instantly broke it in half, men instantly turning into a bloody paste or launched away from the impact. I pulled away from my shock and lifted the spyglass up and looked towards the outpost. My eyes laid on the one called Crusher who was pulling out another large size boulder from the ground and lifts it up. He grips the boulder tightly with his large fingers. He winds up his large arm up and takes multiple hops forward before throwing the boulder, launching it speedily toward us again.

"Turn!" I yelled out to my men of the ship that was the target of. I watched men heave the ship to turn quickly and the boulder missed the center, but it made a huge hit at the back of the ship and ripped the top back off, almost hitting the pilot and wheel. It was still sailable but another hit like that and it would sink easily. I turned back in front and I saw another boulder heading directly toward my own ship! I jumped over the wheel with faster speed and reflexes and backhand the man piloting the Anti-Shifter weapon away and aimed at the upcoming boulder and fire. A beam of dark energy shoots out of the weapon and hits the boulder, dark purple cracks appear on the boulder spreading rapidly before the boulder explodes and turns to dust. I laugh in victory and aim again and thanks to my new eyesight found my target and fire. Another beam of energy shoots out and head's toward Dragon's edge. "HAHAHAHAHA!"

Crusher prepare for another boulder against two legs until Black Flame beam hit's Crusher's shoulder. Crusher grunts and releases boulder too soon. Shoots over wooden carriers. Crusher immune to Black Flame but impact of beam still hurts. Two leg lucky. Crusher pulls out another boulder but another beam hits boulder and explodes sending shards into Crusher's face. Crusher roared in pain, and pulls out large shard from Crusher's side and tosses shard. "Once is lucky but twice should be impossible." Crusher heard Silver Lady speak before Silver Lady steps to the side, avoiding beam. Another beam shot out from wooden carriers and Silver lady ducks. Silver jumps over another beam, spinning body midair to avoid another beam. Black Flame beams begin hitting Crusher more and pushes Crusher back.

Crusher roared and summoned wall of stone between Crusher and Shiny Lady. Beams break rock but Crusher create more layers of stone. Crusher pulled another boulder and Shiny Lady looks at me. "They will shoot it like the last one you threw." Crusher smiled at Shiny Lady. "Crusher know." Crusher threw over rock wall but Crusher kept aiming hand at boulder. Beam fires at boulder but Crusher crushes fist. Big Boulder splits into smaller boulders, beam missing. "Impressive. They'll take out some of the boulders but the rest will hit." Crusher blushed shyly from Shiny Lady's compliment. "Shiny Lady so nice." Shiny Lady grunts. "It is Sharlene." Crusher nod. Shiny Lady always be Shiny Lady. More beams hit Crusher's boulders but some hit wooden carriers. Carriers damaged but still coming.

"How is this possible? They were smaller and hold the same speed you threw the larger boulder but they still struck them accurately. Not to mention trying to hit us?" Shiny Lady ducks when beam break through stone wall and Crusher reforms and add more layers. "Tyse is right. Something changed." Shiny Lady looked up and makes steel shield and puts it over head. Crusher looked up as well and puts arm over head as wooden sticks with flame tips hit Crusher and Shiny Lady Shield. "They are sending volleys of arrows now." Shiny Lady says as Crusher hears sound and looks up. Small boulder hits Crusher's head. Boulder breaks apart and Crusher shakes head from crumbs. "Crusher not happy." Crusher growled. "You have quite a hard head." Shiny Lady commented and puts head out and quickly pulls back as beam shoots. "It was only a moment but they are now closer to the edge." Shiny Lady unsheathes steel blades. Crusher heard screech from Scary Lady and screams from two legs.

"Scary lady fighting." "Let us join her in battle then." Crusher nods and shoots wall forward. Wall of stone hits carrier and Crusher roars and jumps into battle. Shiny Lady follows and roars. Crusher lands on carrier, knocking armored two leg down. Two leg looks up and Crusher lifts leg and slams down, crushing two leg. Crusher roars and swings hammer, knocking two legs away. Two leg yells and swings tiny hammer at Crusher. Crusher laughs but Crusher surprised when two leg hits. Hit's hard. Crusher backhands but Crusher surprised again when two leg dodged and hits Crusher's leg. Crusher grunt and narrowed eyes. Crusher sniffed at two leg and Crusher shocked at smell. Shifter. Unnatural. Blood. Shifter Blood.

Crusher roars in fury. "CRUSHER CRUSH YOU!" Crusher stands up and grabbed two leg and squeezed. Two leg screamed and burst. Two legs charge at Crusher but Crusher roared back enraged. Two legs stopped and step back from enraged Crusher. "CRUSHER CRUSH FAKE SHIFTERS! CRUSHER CRUSH TWO LEGS! CRUSHER…" Crusher bursts into a sprint, hand raised, rage in his eyes. "WILL KILL YOU!" Fakes yell in terror as Crusher grabs fake head and crushes. Blood bursts out. Crusher throws corpse into fake and swings hammer at another. Leaves fake legs standing, top nothing but paste. Crusher slams hammer onto fake, crushing fake into flat meat. Crusher grunt as tiny hammers impact Crusher's back. Crusher turns around and stares down at fakes. Fakes dropped tiny hammers and ran but Crusher out of mercy. Crusher grab fakes and clapped them together, slowly. Fakes scream but Crusher increased pressure. Crusher had enough and clapped, Crushing fakes. Crusher rid of corpses and turns to more fakes. One fake gulped as Crusher roared and rush at them. CRUSHER KILL ALL FAKES!

They would dare to pollute our blood. It is no wonder Crusher became enraged. I too am more enraged, just I'm more calm about it. In my own way. "She's killing us!" A Berserker yelled out before a steel spike pierces his chest and left him dead. I regrew my wrist blade as I ducked underneath a Berserker's sword and kicked him. The Berserker grabs my leg with a strong grip, almost cracking my scaled armor. He laughed but I disconnected my tail from my back and countered with a tail swipe and bisected his top right shoulder to the bottom hip. The grip loosens and I quickly spin myself to dodge a hammer and cut off the attacker's leg. He screams, holding his now missing limb, but I quickly shut him up with a tail stab through the heart.

I turned and met a mace to the face. The attacker hit and collided with my helmet, causing a large clang and making me crash into the ship post. I growled coldly as my attacker charged and swung at me again. I ducked underneath, letting the mace go over me and struck the post, shattering it. The post slowly begins falling toward me and the Berserker. Seeing the Berserker distracted while looking up at the falling post, I shot my steel spikes to his legs, pinning him in place. The Berserker screams in pain, grabbing my spines to get them out. I rolled away as the Berserker screamed one more time in terror before the post finally fell and crushed him, the sound of bones breaking.

I stood back up only to lift up my arms to deflect two blades away from two men. I ducked, weaved, deflected and countered against the fake Shifters for a time. One of them got through my defenses and hit my shoulder plate, steel colliding with steel, making sparks from contact. Another got through and hit my stomach, the weapon sliding between my armor also causing sparks from collision. I heard something from behind and glanced coldly to see another Berserker charging with a raised weapon in hand. I quickly brought up my tail up to block against the weapon just as the other two brought their weapons down which I blocked.

The three weapons down on me plus the men drugged up with my kind's blood, brought me to kneel, to hold back against them. I looked up and see multiple men charging on my down position, pinned by these three Berserkers. I growled coldly and reached within myself. Some of my scales on my armor began lifting themselves like spines and aimed outwards. Just as the men reached me, I roared. The scales shoot out like daggers around me. Like shrapnel, the three men closest to me, pinning me down were struck first and shredded by the sharpened scales, leaving them with missing limbs or just torn apart. The men charging were hit by my scales and screamed in pain as the scales penetrated through their armor and skin and struggled to remove the scales, only for their hands to slide off and leaving a deep cut in their hands.

I pushed one of the corpses off me and waved a hand at the men in front and crushed my fist. The scales instantly deepen and burrow themselves into the Berserker's causing them to cough out blood or die from being pierced in the heart. I rushed at the remaining Berserkers and jumped into the air, front flipping while swinging my armed blades. Once I landed, the survivor's heads fall off their bodies. I turned my head to see more Berserker's charging at me and I growled coldly and charged back with blades out and jumped into the air to stab one.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! COME ON PRETTYS! TYSE WANTS BLOOD!" I screamed psychotically as I slit a Berserker's throat while stabbing in the side five times. I let go of the poor meat sack and dodged a slash from a Berserker wielding a sword, backflipping from the attack. I land on my back, arms on the ground and kicked upwards, hitting the man's chin and knocking him back. I got back on my feet with a push and pounced on him and bit at his neck. The man screams before it quickly turns to gurgles as I rip his neck out. I spit the bloody flesh out while laughing madly. "One two three. The world is falling. One two three. Blood is in the air. One two three. Tyse is coming for you!~" I sang creepily as my eyes flashed.

The Berserkers who were looking into my eyes during the flash, put their hands on their hearts with terrified expressions before falling limp to the ground, their faces petrified in fear. I laughed madly in happiness before one Berserker gets past my notice and punches me in the face. I hit the deck with a grunt, disarmed of my daggers, as Berserker gets on top of me quickly, pinning me down along with my arms so I won't fight back and begins to onslaught my face with his fists. I felt every impact, every punch fueled by the strength of a shifter. I can feel my skull hitting on the deck from every punch, whiplashing and causing more pain. I was dizzy and wouldn't be surprised if I had a concussion from this. I can feel a tooth breaking and my mouth begins to bleed

But despite all this, all the pain, all the dizziness I was laughing madly. The Berserker punches harder and faster, fear in his features, wanting me to stop laughing. I didn't stop though and only laughed harder. The Berserker yells and raises another fist up into the air to bring it down on me, but it never connects. I tilted my head to the side, avoiding the fist just a moment before it could hit. The fist hits through wood and the Berserker leaves it stuck for a second in surprise. A second I didn't waste.

My teeth lengthened and sharpened and widened my mouth unnaturally and bit down on the Berserker's arm. The Berserker screamed in pain and tried to pull away, but this only made his arm bleed more as I bit deeper into the arm. "Help! Get this freak off me!" The Berserker screamed in terror as I continued to mangle his arm. I glanced behind the Berserker to see reinforcements coming to his aid. 'As if that will help them.' I giggled before I bit harder and suddenly snapped my head to the side, ripping the appendage off. Blood squirts from where the hand was out as the Berserker holds it and screams in pain and horror, completely forgetting about me.

I raised my knee, hitting the Berserker in the groin and pushed him off of me for a second to allow my arms back up, claws out. My claws slashed out, passed through his throat, slicing through and allowing me to take my monthly shower of blood. The Berserker gurgles, blood drowning his voice as I laughed and pushed my legs up and kicked the corpse toward the running Berserkers, knocking them down. They pushed the corpse off quickly, but the moment they looked up, they saw my bloodied face with a widened fanged grin with my daggers back into my hands. "Too slow.~" I whispered before in a blink of an eye, my daggers were now replacing the eyeballs of a Berserker. The Berserker falls on his back screaming in agonizing pain as he desperately tries to pull the daggers out of his eyes. The other Berserkers turn back to me just as I decapitate one with my claws with a grin. The Berserker, still alive and walking, drops his weapon and proceeds to run away. I giggled as I used my foot to toss a spear that was on the ground into my hand and threw it. It pierced into his back through his chest and he fell, dead.

I grinned and giggled as I turned back to the Berserker who was still pulling my daggers out his eyes and walked over. I leaned over to grab my daggers and pulled them out just as my foot came down and crushes his head to a pulp. I turned my gaze to more Berserkers heading my way and I spun my daggers in glee. But a part of me worries that there are too many and we won't last long without backup. 'Nightshift. Please get back here as quickly as possible.' I thought worriedly as I physically giggled for intimidation and charged at the Berserkers with a screech.

It was dark when me and Toothless finally arrived back to Dragon's Edge. And I was shocked to find Dagur's armada here firing on the gang. I also noticed many ships in disrepair and bodies everywhere. I watched as Snotlout took cover into the dome just as it closed. I then noticed Crusher throwing a Berserker off the island as Sharlene and Tyse ran towards the dome. I also noticed that they were very injured with Tyse limping with Sharlene supporting her but it doesn't affect the speed they're currently running.

I quickly urged Toothless to fly down, passing the ships and avoiding the volley of arrows, boulders and the anti-shifter lasers. We quickly flew into a hole where it leads to the dome and rushed upwards to meet the gang. "Hiccup!" Fishlegs says in relief. "Is everybody okay?" I questioned as I dismount Toothless and rushed over. "Meatlug took one in the wing, but she'll be okay in a few days." Fishlegs says as he hugs Meatlug who purrs. "We fought as hard as we could, Hiccup! If it wasn't for Tyse's warning they would have hit us before we knew they were there!" Snotlout says. "They also were able to overpower our most powerful members! It was awesome!" Tuffnut says happily before we glared at him, causing him to chuckle nervously.

"We have to fight back!" I said, wanting to protect our home. "We tried. It didn't go so well." Ruffnut says with a frown as the dome was hit again and the roar of Crusher was heard from outside. "Dagur has us pinned down!" Snotlout yelled. "With a dozen ships." "And they have this catapult, that can like launch 20 arrows at a time. It's actually pretty cool. I'm asking for it for Snoggletog. Think Dagur will give it to me?" Tuffnut says as I look at him blankly just as Tyse limps over, arm over Sharlene as she supports her. "I don't know how or where Dagur got it but they have Shifter blood, Hiccup. If it wasn't for our experience in battle over the centuries we would have died due to their numbers." Tyse says with a grimace as her leg slowly heals. "We took many of them out, but they're like a hydra. Cut one head, two more replace it. They just keep coming." Sharlene says as the dome shakes again.

It doesn't look like we are at an advantage but we can't leave our home. We need to defend it! "It doesn't matter, okay? This is our home! We're defending it. Now, think. What are our advantages?" I asked them. "We do have the high ground." Fishlegs says as I agreed. "That's right." "And good cover." Snotlout added. "And supplies." Ruffnut says. "And we have dragons." Tuffnut says picking up a Night Terror and gets roared in the face. "Okay, that's implied, but I like the spirit." I said in encouragement. "We know how blood shifters are. They are new to their abilities and raw without training. With the right tactics we can drive them back." Tyse says with a grin. "And despite they're new strengths they are still human and don't have the same instincts as us real Shifters." Sharlene added as Tyse spoke again. "Oh and the blood doesn't last long and not as strong. While killing them, I noticed that their blood was old. Very old. They're only just as strong and only last for an hour. As long as we can hold them off, they will be back to normal." "We will have to find the supply of blood and destroy it so that way they won't go back to strengthening themselves." Sharlene growls. "But isn't Shifter blood sacred to you." Fishlegs asked, concerned for the Shifters. "It's better being destroyed than being abused by humans." Tyse says with a soft smile.

I walked over to Toothless and reached into the bag on his side. "We'll send a Terror mail to Berk for reinforcements. In the meantime, we hold the Edge!" I said as I wrote down the letter and tied it to a Terrible Terror and told him to fly to Berk. Hope you get here soon, Astrid and Matt."

"Not all combat is in the air." I said as Astrid put down the paintbrush into the bucket. In front of us was a circle and inside the circle was a skull. "Today, we're going to practice precision landings." Astrid added just as Stoick landed with Skullcrusher on the landing. "Just like that." I said with a smile before losing it when I noticed Stoick's grave look. "Astrid, Matt. Just got a Terrible Terror from Hiccup. Dragon's Edge is under siege by Dagur's fleet."

"What!?" I yelled in shock 'Dagur must have found the Edge! How!?' Wolf crooned in shock as I thought about it before widening my eyes. 'The reason why Dagur attacked Berk. To lure us away that way they coordinate where we left and headed too. They must have done the same in other locations and tracked the general area where the Edge is! Dagur tricked us!' I said in realizing horror. "How many ships?" Astrid questioned. "Four dozen but according to Hiccup, the Shifters have been putting up a fight. But they're heavily injured due to Dagur somehow increasing his men's strength with Shifter blood." "What! We have to go now! The longer we are here, the more danger they are in!" I yelled as I shifted into my dragon form.

Suddenly the recruits approached us. "Let me help even them." Spitelout says. "I'm coming, too." Gustav says as Gothi smacks her staff on her hand, ready for battle. "Absolutely not." Astrid denied quickly. "You are not ready for combat. You will all stay here. That is an order" I nod. "She's right. I love the bravery and you came so far in your training, but it's too dangerous and you are not ready. Especially with Dagur now stronger than he once was."

They looked down in disappointment as I shifted into my Night Fury form and we took to the air. It was early in the morning so we should get there at dawn. Hope we aren't too late.

We have been fighting all day against the Berserkers and we have been hard on fighting back. Hookfang and Snotlout knocked some Berserkers off. Fishlegs and Meatlug hit one of the ships on a pass by and took cover on higher ground. Meatlug growls and fires a blast, taking one Berserker off the bridge. One of the Berserkers fires his crossbow but Fishlegs calls Meatlug to get inside, avoiding the bolts. The Twins run for battle, Ruffnut fires a crossbow she stole from a Berserker before using a catapult while Tuffnut throws a rock. The boulder hits a ship, causing two Berserkers to dive away into the water to avoid getting hit while Tuffnut's rock knocks out a Berserker.

I watched Tuffnut smile before he notices something and becomes concerned. I looked to where he's looking and noticed Chicken taking cover behind a barrel where it's blocking bolts being fired by Berserkers. I frowned in confusion. 'Why would they target a chicken?' 'Perhaps they're hungry.' Shard purrs as I hummed before noticing Berserkers going up the stairs and heading towards Chicken. I watched Tuffnut take out a vial of blood and drink it. He yells and climbs down quickly and dives at the Berserkers.

"No chicken left behind!" Tuffnut yells as he rolls under a swing from a sword and trips the Berserker with a kick, knocking him down. The other Berserker went to slam a hammer on Tuffnut but grabs the hammer mid swing with his left hand. "Oh my Thor! You just have to love Shifter blood!" Tuffnut yells, excited on using his increased strength and speed, using his other hand to grab the Berserker's forearm and lifts over and tosses him off the ledge. "Yeah!" Tuffnut celebrated picking up Chicken who clucks.

The first Berserker gets up and growls as he picks up his weapon and went behind the unsuspecting Tuffnut and Chicken and raises his sword. Once he was about to swing, he was quickly interrupted when I appeared and kicked him to the side, launching the human off with a scream down into the river. I turned to Tuffnut. "Pay attention to your surroundings! Come!" I ordered as we ran to cover.

I turned to the side as we ran and noticed one of the Berserker's aiming one of the Black Flame weapons. Dark energy sparks before it is completely blasted by a plasma bolt. I smirked as I guided Tuffnut to reunite with his sister.

"Nice shot!" I roared to Toothless who smiled. "Thanks!" Then we heard a voice which we both growled at. "Is that the best you can do, Hiccup? Because it's not enough!" Dagur yelled. I opened my mouth and aimed at Dagur only to dodge a laser. "Whoa! I do not plan on getting hit by that again! Not this time!" I aimed at the ship who fired at me and shot a plasma bolt. When it hit, it froze a part of the ship and some Berserkers. "I really need to figure out how to do these abilities. They aren't like shadows or teleportation." I murmured.

"Dragon's coming from the south!" I heard and looked to see Astrid and Stoick coming in on their dragons. "Take them down!" I heard Dagur order as the Berserkers begin firing on them. The two dragons dodged the bolts and lasers and Stoick dives in with Skullcrusher screaming. Skullcrusher hits one ship, breaking through the wood and through the other side causing the ship to quickly sink.

"Yeah, Stoick! Teach them what you can do!" I cheered as I dived on a ship and shifted into my human form and unsheathed my sword. Berserkers unsheathed their weapons as I sniffed the air and growled as well as Wolf. 'They do have Shifter blood.' 'Then let's make them pay with their own.' I growled mentally as I charged with a roar.

I sidestepped to the right to avoid a vertical slash and kicked the man away, knocking him over the rail with a scream. I blocked a mace with my sword and spun my body to cut another Berserker's leg. I spun Yolsilnah into a reverse grip and stabbed him in the back, piercing his heart and ending him. A Berserker charges and I pull the blade out and hit Berserker's face with the pummel, clotheslining him.

I smirked before catching a bolt about to hit the side of my head and turned to see a Berserker reloading. Before he could lift his weapon, I lifted my hand up and shot him with a plasma blast, launching him away, his skin boiling as he hit the water. I heard a scream and jumped over and backflipped, where a spear pierced the air where I once was. I landed on the spear wielder's shoulders and twisted my legs around him and pulled my body to the side, twisting, and tossing him toward a group of rushing Berserkers, knocking the group down as I landed on my feet at the same time.

"Oh come, guys! I thought you're supposed to be stronger now! Was I wrong?" I mocked as I deflected three Berserkers wielding swords. 'I have to admit that they hit hard and fast.' I grunted as I avoided a slash to the face and blocked a punch, feeling the hit. 'That's what Shifter blood does.' Wolf growls as I jumped over a blade and spin kicked, snapping his neck on contact, before I landed and I dealt with the other two, slashing Yolsilnah across one's chest while my claws unsheathed and stab the other through the side. The two Berserker's fell on the ground in pain holding their injuries before I ended it with two plasma blasts.

The last Berserker roared and charged but I disappeared, teleporting behind him. He snapped his head behind in fear as I smiled widely before spinning my body and decapitating his head. "And that's the game." I grinned before I snapped my head to the side to see Dagur catching Stormfly and pulling her in with a chain hook. "Astrid!" I yelled before I was hit in the side and skidded on deck.

I looked up with a snarl as more Berserkers from another ship boarded and charged at me. "I don't have time for this!" I roared as I spun Yolsilnah and charged. Suddenly a wave of sound hits the Berserkers and launches them off the ship. I looked up and was surprised to see Arnora and her Thunderdrum in the air! "Arnora!" I yelled in surprise. "Ello lad! We came ta help!" She yelled.

I heard a familiar yell and smiled seeing Gustav saving Astrid from Dagur. "Element of surprise, key to any battle." Arnora explained as I laughed. "And what a surprise it is!" I agreed as I took to the air. I watch as the new dragon riders with a smile just as Astrid escapes on Stormfly. I see Hiccup and Toothless take out a Berserker off the ship and Stoick knocks out a Berserker that was holding him. I glanced over to see Hookfang blowing the boulders away and Snotlout knocking two Berserkers off the side with his bladed gauntlets. "Yes!" He yells in victory, unsheathing his blades and mounting Hookfang to battle.

I watched Tuffnut land on Barf with Chicken in his hands as they and Ruffnut took to the air. I watch Sharlene, Crusher and Tyse flying in battle as well. I joined the three as we took out many of the ships. "Hahahahaha! I haven't had this fun in ages!" Tyse laughed. "Focus! Make sure the Black Flame weapons don't hit our allies!" Sharlene scolded coldly as she slashes holes into the ships. "We really need to have a name for these weapons. We can't keep saying Black Flame or Anti-Shifter weapons." I added as I blasted a Berserker off of one of the weapons. "Crusher crush humans!" Crusher yells in ball form as he smashes into multiple ships, bouncing off them.

I noticed the Twins saving Bucket and Mulch and I turned to Dagur's ship. "Sir, They're cutting us to pieces! We need to withdraw!" I heard Savage yell as Gothi and her dragon spew lava on the ship. "Oh, come on! Her? Since when does she ride a dragon?" Dagur complained as Arnora and I appeared behind them. "Sir!" "Yes, I know!" Dagur yelled. "Ello lads!" The two Berserkers turned and gasped as Arnora's Thunderdrum blasts as I shot an ice blast, creating a pillar causing the ship to be launched away. "AHHHH! YOU'RE A CHEATER, HICCUP AND MATT! YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN A CHEATER!" "Oh boo hoo hoo! Go cry us a river!" I mocked as I and Arnora laughed.

After the end of the battle, we had each of the recruits in line with me and Astrid in front of them. "You all disobeyed our direct order." Astrid speaks sternly. "Yes, now whose idea was this little stunt." I added with a stern glare. Immediately Gustav stepped up. "It was mine." And begins doing pushups. Then Spitelout stepped up. "No, it was mine." And begins doing push ups as well. All the others stepped up and also blamed themselves and did the pushups.

Astrid and I glanced at each other and we both nod. "Enough. Everyone up." I ordered, making everyone get up from the ground. "What you did was dangerous, foolish, and completely not what you were trained to do." She paused for a moment before smiling. "But it was also brave, and you worked together as a team." "We couldn't be more proud to call you fellow dragon riders." Astrid and I both said, proud of them.

The gang celebrated themselves with smiles before Astrid continues. "Gustav, as the most experienced rider, we are putting you in charge of the Dragon Riders' Auxiliary." "Oh, yes! Gustav! That's me." Gustav cheered to himself with a smile, hugging Fanghook. "And you will need a second in command." I added with a smile before turning to Arnora. "Arnora, as the second most experienced rider, you will be second-in-command of the Dragon Riders' Auxiliary." Arnora smiles as she nods. "It will be an honor? Besides, the child needs a grown up to keep an eye on him." Arnora teased. "Hey!" Gustav pouts as me and Arnora chuckles.

"We'll be staying here on Dragon's Edge. After all, we can't protect Berk all by ourselves every second of every day." Astrid and I glanced over to Hiccup with a smile. Yes that's right, Hiccup. You were right. As always. "And you guys proved you're ready to do the job." I said as we approached them. "They did handle themselves pretty well, for the B-team." I heard Snotlout complimented. "B-Team?" Hiccup says with a smile. "No. This is Astrid's and Matt's team. The A-Team." The newly formed A-team spoke to each other on their group name. "You heart that? A-Team." "Not too shabby." "But, if we hear you're slacking off one inch, we'll be on you guys like a Gronckle on granite." Astrid threatened as I grinned. "Oh yeah. Or worse a Tyse on a blood hunt." "Oh come on! I'm not scary!" Tyse complained but her smile showed that she was lying. She was scary.

"We'll keep the brooms handy. Mount up, A-team!" Gustav ordered as the A-team mount their dragons and took to the air to travel back to Berk. Well, except Bucket decided to travel on a broom. Never change Bucket. Snotlout approached us and lays a arm on Astrid's shoulder. "They grow up so fast, don't they?" Astrid's response was tossing him away. "You're welcome." Snotlout groaned, putting up a weak thumbs up as I laughed. We smiled at each other as we watch the A-team fly away.

I returned to my hut and shifted back into my human form upon landing. I stretched and yawned, opening the gate, spying a letter on my table, before heading to my bed. I paused and backtracked to the letter and took it. I looked around before opening and read the letter.

"Nightshift, the day is almost upon us. You and the Dragon Riders will meet the Dragon Hunters soon. They are equipped with more weapons and armor than the Berserkers you fought today. And they will be stronger. You must prepare yourself for they will test your strength. One wrong move and it will lead to death. You must teach your friends to accept taking a life. Their reluctance and hesitance will only lead to failure and heartbreak. There is no time for mercy against a battle of life and death. They are vikings who have changed their entire culture. I am sure you will succeed in changing it further. From a friend."

I put the letter down and frowned. 'Another letter? Whoever this person is sure knows how to be sneaky.' 'And they want us to teach our human friends how to kill. They will not like this, especially Hiccup.' I put the letter away in a secret compartment behind the bookshelf to join with the first letter. 'I can see the logic. These Dragon Hunters know how to kill dragons from what we saw on the Reaper. And I worry they too also have Shifter Blood. If we don't teach Hiccup and the others to accept death in their tactics then they will more likely die. Noctis taught us to be merciful, but she also taught us to fight to protect our loved ones.' I frown in conflict as I thought about it before heading to bed. 'I can't think about it right now. We already went through a hard battle. And I don't know how to bring this up with Hiccup. Maybe I should talk to Stoick. He has seen more death than we do.' 'That's probably for the best.' Wolf agreed as I layed down on my bed and slowly fell asleep.

Wow, that's a long chapter there. Way longer than the last one. I swear the last one took 18 pages or something. This one is at least 25 but at least this didn't take another year to write lol. Now the Berserkers found a new source of power, the Dragon Hunters are coming and Nightshift somehow has to convince the Dragon Riders to kill. What a crazy day for Nightshift. Can't wait for the next part! To the Great Beyond!