Chapter 140

Hiccups POV:

It's been four weeks since I first learnt about the general and in that time a lot has happened since then with me preparing to go after the general. To begin with I went through and memorized every form of strategy that his men had used and developed counter strategies to deal with them, which I know the generals, were grateful for since they thanked me and told me I had a gift for planning out strategies. I also did a bit of training with some of the top men who also trained under the general but were loyal to the crown and I admit their fighting style surprised me but I quickly adapted and learnt how to fight on their level. Other than that I'd been helping out Chin Wu with his own training along with joining him and Ling Cho for Tai Chi, which I knew I'd take up when I got home since I found it to be relaxing. That was how I spent my first week in the Forbidden City before me and Toothless left to begin our travels to take on the general with the plan to have me place in his territory to gather intelligence on where The General is so I could take him down. Two days after this plan was finalized we took off with Chin Wu and Ling Cho wishing us luck on our journey and my battle against The General.

Toothless and me flew together for three days before we arrived deep in the general's territory and stuck to flying only at night so Toothless wouldn't be spotted. He wasn't happy about it though but I reminded him that if we were going to take down the general then he couldn't know we existed. On our travels we ran into a few other travelers, mainly refugees who'd lost everything because of the chaos that had befallen their country. They were scared of us at first but when we showed them we weren't a threat they asked us to escort them to a large city know as 'Yongzhou' which we agreed to. When we reached the city me and Toothless spent one night camping out in the forest using my tent. While I was exploring the city I got word that the Generals second in command was meant to be visiting a village known as 'Snake Catcher village' soon to collect snakes for The General and chances are he could tell me where to find his boss.

This brings us to where I am now which is flying over the forest towards the village, which I was told is 'Snake Catcher village'. Using a map I bought in the city as my guide to where we needed to go but as we flew over the forest the sound of a scream echoed through it, catching my attention. I immediately steered Toothless towards the place where the scream came from since whoever screamed was most likely in trouble and needed help. When we found where the scream was coming from I saw a man holding up a staff of some kind against what looked to be a naga that was pushing the man against the tree. I then I saw this creature was male showing it wasn't as nagas are an all-female race while this one had a bald head with scale like skin and a shoulder protector held on by a leather belt across its chest while its tail was colored black and pale brown striped scales. I didn't know what this thing was but I knew one thing and that is that the guy needed help so I landed nearby them as I released my spirit bow and loaded up a wind arrow and yelled.

"HEY SNAKE FACE!" The snake man turned to face me as I aimed at him. "IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A FIGHT, THEN TRY THIS!"

I launched the arrow right at him but before he could react the arrow activated sending him flying back and slamming into a tree. He groaned in pain while rubbing his head before looking back up at me as I readied a fire arrow while hopping off Toothless and aimed it at him as I said.

"I recommend you slither away because the arrow I just shot at you was a wind arrow and this one I have aimed at you is a fire arrow and I doubt you want to know what it'll do to you." He gave my arrow a look of fear. "And if that's not enough incentive then maybe you'd like to talk about it with my dragon." Toothless walked up next to me growling and glaring before the snake creature gave me a glare and slithering into the woods and out of sight while I turned to the man he was attacking who was now sitting at the stump of the tree and breathing heavily as I walked up to him. "Are you alright?" He looked up at me and nodded.

"I'll be fine thanks to you." I offered him my hand, which he took eagerly. "I cannot thank you enough for saving me from that snake demon."I raised an eyebrow.

"Is that what that thing was?" He nodded.

"Indeed, but who are you and how were you able to get it off me so easily?" He then gestured to Toothless. "And what is that creature you have with you?" I walked over to Toothless as I answered.

"My name is Hiccup Haddock and I used one of my magic arrows that can turn to wind to get that demon off you." He stared at me as I placed my hand on Toothless' head. "And this is Toothless, he's a species of dragon from my homeland."

"But how did you come to have him for a companion and come into possession of these arrows?"

"They were given to me by the gods of a distant land for my services to the people who call the land home but that's a story for another time." I mounted Toothless. "For now, we should get out of here before that demon comes back, possibly with friends." He nodded.

"My village is nearby and I'm sure everyone will be happy to allow you to stay after I tell them how you saved me."

"I'd like that but may I ask what the name of your village is?"

"The name of the village I come from is Snake Catcher Village." I smiled hearing this.

"That's exactly the village I was heading to." He raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" He then looked at me with fear and stepped back. "Did the General send you to collect the snakes?" I shook my head.

"No and judging by your reaction you're not a big fan of the general." He sighed and shook his head.

"Before he came we were a peaceful village of farmers but then he came and gave us the option of catching snakes to pay taxes or live out our days doing forced labor." I put a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll go over this another time but for now let's get back to the village before any more demons show up." He nodded as I helped him onto Toothless before we took off to his village.

Five days later

It's been five days since I drove off the snake demon and met my friend who I now knew was named Bao and in that time, I've learnt a lot about the village and the people. When we first got back though, many of the people were curious and in some cases, afraid of me because of Toothless. A gummy smile from Toothless and they calmed down around him before they asked why I'd come to their village so I told them I was looking for the generals second in command and heard he'd be coming to collect the snakes. When they asked me why I was looking for him however I told them it was better they didn't know incase he got wind of it and attacked the village because of me. At dinner that night I told them of my adventures around the world with some of them not believing it until I created illusions against the wall of a hut showing them what happened and demonstrated my weapons before they believed me.

As for what I learnt, to begin with I learnt that they built their houses high up on stone columns that were connected by bridges so they could avoid the dangerous snakes below and built a wall into the valley where they lived with a gate to keep out invaders. Then there's what I learnt about the general, he was having them catch snakes but it was never revealed why he wanted them so badly but I had the feeling that those snakes that went to him were suffering a fate worse than death. I also learnt the reason he was so hard to find was because he lived on a ship and travelled with a ship that rarely ever stopped making it hard for anyone to find him. I learnt that his second in command might not be as powerful but he was not to be taken lightly since he was a Taoist with strong magic and rode on a large beast with the body of a giant white beast and three heads that were like those of cranes. As for where Toothless and me were staying they offered us a place in the village but I chose a spot by a waterfall that overlooked the village and the valley to set up my tent since I needed to keep up my training and didn't want to hurt anyone by accident plus Toothless preferred high places. Besides that, I'd mostly just been studying with some of the village craftsman and learnt how to make umbrellas along with their snake traps and other things.

Now it was nighttime and I was outside sitting on a cliff looking out at the village with Toothless behind me, knowing that in two days the generals second in command would be here to collect the snakes. I looked up at the sky and knew that if I were able to take this guy I would need to leave some form of defense for the village since chances are the general wouldn't be too happy if he caught wind of things. I sighed and stood up before walking back to my tent while shaking my head knowing I was worrying too much before entering my tent for a good night's sleep.

Meanwhile

Nobodies POV:

While Hiccup slept in his tent the generals' fleet floated down a river with multiple guards holding double ended spears with one end holding a pointed end and the other a sickle blade, stood still or patrolled the ship for intruders. For their attire they wore black armor that resembled what most Chinese soldiers wore but they also wore masks over their mouths that took the form of fanged mouths. The only ones on deck who weren't armed were the five servant girls being lead by a guard with the middle three carrying trays that had golden teapots on them while the first and last ones used both hands to carry towels. These women were all dressed the same with their head bowed showing white robes with the tops covered by pale blue tops. The one at the end however had one addition to her outfit in the form of a jade hairpin in her bun.

When the servant girls turned down the deck the one at the end quickly ducked behind a statue and waited for the servants to vanish from her view. As soon as they were out of sight she ran behind a corner silently before stopping at a lit fire pot as she removed the servant uniform to reveal a white kimono with light blue belt and under lining with leaf patterns before she dropped the uniform into the flames. She then jumped from the railing and onto the roof of the upper level and running up to the corner before pressing her body against it as two guards approached. When they were just around the corner she jumped onto one of the roofs supports before they came around as she jumped back down quickly and grabbed their spears but before they could react the woman stabbed them into their backs impaling them. She gently lowered their now lifeless bodies down before running across the deck running behind guards and cutting into them with a strange white magic like a knife ending their lives before she lowered their bodies to the ground silently. After the second pair fell she walked up to the wall and cut a small hole in the rice paper allowing her to see through into the room.

Light pink lanterns illuminated the room with green drapes flowing as the hung from the ceiling and in the center of the room was a yin yang symbol on the floor with two servant girls and a man wearing a purple Taoist robe with golden bird embroideries, a hat that wrapped around his head and a silk veil covering his lower face and it is him who is the generals second in command and a powerful Taoist. Along with them there were large pots with snakes in them that were writhing in pain while other snakes lay there on the floor lifeless. The thing that caught her attention the most however was the man in the center who was floating above the floor. This man wore a black Taoist robe with three purple strips lined with gold on either shoulder and around the waist, on the back was a sideways yin yang symbol with wings coming out and a similar crown to that of the other mans. This man was the general who had his hands held out as purple energy flowed into him through them as he said.

"Force of darkness, flow and gather, spread your will across the land."

While he did this, the assassin held her hand over the hairpin making it float out of place and towards the hole while the three chains with a bead at the end wrapped around the body of the hairpin. The pin slowly floated through the hole and floated from side to side avoiding the drapes that might alert the people of its presence. When it was completely past the drapes it thrust forward towards the back of the generals neck like an arrow but the general turned his head slightly stopping the hairpin before it dropped to the ground. The assassin gasped before the Taoist lifted his head and turned to the wall she stood behind and dashed at it pushing it back sending the assassin flying over the railing. The Taoist quickly followed as someone yelled out.

"ASSASSIN!"

The Taoistpulled his hand back to ready a spell but she prepared her own before they both struck forward crating a light blue shockwave that threw them both back but they both landed on their feet on opposite sides of the deck. They stared at each other as drums beat sounding the alarm alerting all the soldiers they were needed making them run towards their location and surround them as the Taoist smirked at her behind his veil but she just glared. She then quickly turned around throwing a spell at the men charging her from behind that sent them falling back as she turned and threw another at the men storming down the stairs knocking them all out. She then leaned back ant to the side avoiding three black paper talismans with glowing golden writing on them before she recovered as they stabbed into the deck as if they were knives.

She turned back to the Taoist who held up his left hand while multiple other talismans floated above his him and the guards at his side. He brought his hand down and with it the talismans right at the assassin who dodged the first ones by bending and twisting her body before she straightened up. She quickly jumped onto the roof with the Taoist thrusting his hand towards her making the talismans fly at her but she ran across the roof dodging them as they stabbed into the roof tiles. She jumped off the roof towards the Taoist letting out a blast of his magic, which the Taoist dashed backwards avoiding as the assassin landed across from him with her arms spread and her body twisted. She raised her hand summoning the jade hairpin to her from the room as the Taoist pulled his arm back and readied to launch another spell.

When the hairpin returned to the assassins left hand the Taoist thrust his arm forward letting out what looked to be black smoke at the assassin who quickly levitated the hairpin between her hands and pointed it at the smoke launching a beam that matched the pin in color. The beam struck the smoke forming what looked to be a whirlwind that was sucking the smoke in as a small ball of energy formed at the tip. Seeing his spell wasn't working the Taoist thrust his other arm forward increasing the force of his spell, pushing the assassin back a bit and overloading the ball of energy at the tip of the hairpin. Then it vanished making the assassin gasp before a large shockwave exploded throwing the assassin overboard and into the water with the hairpin grasped in her hand as she sunk into the water.

Afternoon the next day

Hiccups POV:

I was out by the cliff practicing with my lightning axe with Toothless watching when I heard Toothless growling at something and turned to see him standing on large boulder just to the side of the waterfall. I walked up to the boulder and climbed onto the top to see what he was growling at only to find a woman there lying halfway in the water. I ran up to her and picked up torso in my arms to see if she was still alive and let out a sigh of relief when I found a pulse and felt her breath knowing she was still alive. I looked down at the woman and saw she was wearing a white kimono with a belt that was light blue on the bottom half and dark blue on the top with the neck of her kimono lined in the same colors. Her hair was long flowing with a light blue ribbon in it holding up part of it in a bun behind her head while the rest flowed down her back with a ribbon tying it near the bottom, her eyelids had bright pink eyeliner on them while her lips were red and two strands of hair went down either side of her face framing it. All in all, I thought she looked truly beautiful but for now I needed to focus on getting her to the village to receive medical attention. I picked her up bridal style and walked over to Toothless who growled and glared at her confusing me as I asked.

"What is it bud?" He just growled and gestured to the woman in my arms. "Toothless, she's unconscious and we can't leave her like this." He just shook his head and looked away before I mounted him and we took off towards the village.

Afternoon the next day

Nobodies POV:

The woman's eyes shot open to see the ceiling of one the village huts and quickly sat up breathing heavily as she quickly looked around to see she was alone. She threw the blanket off and stood up twisting her torso while holding her battle stance as she looked around for anyone. It was then the sound of footsteps coming from outside the door and ran to the side bumping into a wooden cupboard knocking over a wooden ladle and dived behind some curtains looking through a crack in them at the door. The door creaked open to reveal an elderly woman with her hair tied up in a typical Chinese fashion carrying a basket full of rags. She watched as the elderly woman placed the basket down on a stool and rubbed her back before hiding behind the curtains and listening to the elderly woman say.

"Huh, where is she?" She looked back through the curtain as the elderly woman walked out of sight before the woman began to push the curtains aside but was brought out of her thoughts when the voice of the elderly woman sounded from her side with the sound of fluttering material. "There you are." She immediately turned with her right hand out.

"Who are you?" The elderly woman just continued to pull the curtains open allowing light to shine in before she turned to her.

"It's a scary world, you're safe here." The elder walked past her but the woman quickly turned her body to the old woman as she opened up the curtains that formed the door.

"Where are we?"

"Snake catcher village." The elder kneeled down and picked up the ladle before turning back to the woman. "What should I call you, where are you from?" The woman looked confused as the elder propped the window open and turned to the woman in concern as the woman tried to remember while looking out the window. "What's wrong, you don't remember anything?" The woman just looked down but was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of commotion down below in the village. "Oh, it's the snake catchers and our guest." She looked to the woman. "It was our guest Hiccup Haddock who saved you."

"So Hiccup-" The elder lead her outside to a decent view of the different huts standing on stone columns with trees that possessed red and orange leaves decorated the mountain side.

"We catch snakes for a living and we build our houses this way because the mountains and forests are full of wild beasts" They made their way across a bridge. "and demons as well." Three children ran across the bridge with one holding a wooden snake yelling.

"I'M A DEMON!" They almost collided with the two women but stopped in time as the elder said.

"Careful where you run." It was then a man below wearing a basket on his back holding long pole with a hook in his left hand yelled out to them.

"AUNTIE, THOSE HERBS HICCUP GAVE ME REALLY WORKED," He put his right hand on his left shoulder. "I'M ALMOST HEALED!"

"BE CAREFUL, CATCHING SNAKES IS DANGEROUS!" He didn't pay much attention as he and the man next to him who had the same gear turned around.

"She's a real beauty." The two-woman continued on their walk as the man yelled up at a woman next to some pots with red labels and material sealing them up.

"WONG, CAN YOU LOWER THAT WORN DOWN?" The woman replied.

"SURE!" She began lowering one of the pots. "IT'S THE GOOD STUFF TO, KEEPS SNAKES AWAY!" The woman reeled back in disgust when she smelt what was in the pots but the elder walked back up to her.

"Young lady let's go."

They made their way down to the gate as it was being closed up for the day but as they pulled up the sound of a roar from the other side caught everyone's attention. They all looked towards the gate just as a large black form flew upwards from behind it as the sound of a male's laughter came off the back of the creature. When it showed the side of its body to reveal someone on its back as it swooped down to land just behind the gate as the children ran towards. Hiccup chuckled as he dismounted Toothless and turned to the woman as he asked.

"You're awake?" She stared at him as he rubbed Toothless' head before the sound of children yelling.

"HICCUP'S BACK!"

Before the children ran up to him as he picked up a little girl and spinning her around as the children ran to pet Toothless who reeled back since they had a habit of jumping on him. The woman smiled at Hiccup playing with the children but then noticed the baskets full of snakes and walked up to them making all their heads rise to look at her. It was then the sounds of voices echoed in her head begging for her to help them and how they were going to be killed making the woman grab her head in pain. She was brought out of it when the elder put a hand on her shoulder but she just swatted it off and walked away as Hiccup walked up to the elder who said.

"Hiccup, she doesn't remember anything at all." Hiccup didn't like the sound of this and ran up to her side.

"Hey miss, don't worry, I'll take you to where I found you to look for clues." She smiled at him before he signaled Toothless over who was happy to get away from the kids who were pulling on his earflaps making her step back in fear. "Don't worry," He gestured to Toothless. "this is Toothless and he's my dragon but he won't cause you any harm as long as you don't try to either her or me." Toothless continued to glare at her. "He can fly us over there real fast but if you want we could just walk there." She glanced at Toothless who glared at her making her step back in fear. "Don't worry, I promise you he won't attack you." She nodded but was still afraid so I decided it better if we walk and meet Toothless up by my tent so I turned to him. "Toothless fly up to our campsite and we'll meet you there." He crooned at him but Hiccup just patted his muzzle. "Don't worry bud, I'll be fine." He gave a growl and nod before he took off as Hiccup turned back to the woman. "He'll meet us back at my camp where I found you." She nodded as Hiccup walked past her. "Well we better get going before dark."

She nodded and followed him down the path towards the mountainside, which lead up to the waterfall where his camp was setup. The walk up the mountain was spent in comfortable silence until they reached a high point of the mountainside that looked down on the valley when Hiccup gestured down to the valley as he said.

"The villagers snake traps are set up down there."

"Why do they trap snakes?" Hiccup sighed.

"Thanks to the general things are pretty bad here in China and are only getting worse with chaos spreading fast meaning taxes get higher for the villages that fall under the general's control." Hiccup shook his head as he picked up an acorn that fell onto the path. "He lets this village pay their taxes with snakes instead so no forced labor but why he wants the snakes, I don't know." He passed the acorn to the squirrel that dropped it that nuzzled the acorn. "Everyone in the village decided to catch snakes knowing that it was dangerous work but it beat the alternative." He walked away from the branch not seeing the woman look at the squirrel which took one look at her before dropping the nut and running away as the woman continued following Hiccup as he pointed up at a large waterfall. "I found you there under the waterfall." He then pointed to multiple pillars of stone. "Normally I'd take that path but it's pretty rough so it's safer if we went the long way around."

She nodded and walked up to the edge to examine the path but slipped on the side and fell down as Hiccup ran up to try and save her. When he looked down though he stared in shock as she stopped falling as magic that resembled white ribbons flowed out of her hands stopping her mid decent. She then hopped off some branches to another slowly ascending back to the pathway as Hiccup watched in amazement. When she neared the path however she jumped up higher making Hiccup look up at her as her kimono flowed in the wind making her look like an angel to Hiccup before landing on one of the stone pillars. Hiccup stared at her for a few seconds before he asked.

"You know magic?" She looked down at her and smiling before pointing her hand down and letting out another wave of her magic making the leaves float up before she turned back to the rough path. "Why don't I go first." She turned her head back to him. "You can take your time."

She then jumped to the next pillar and continued up the path as if she were gliding while Hiccup smiled and followed her using his hook to grapple onto stones and pull himself up. It wasn't long before the woman made it to the top and saw Hiccups tent set up with Toothless lying outside it but raised his head to glare at her. She didn't notice however as the sun began to shine on her face bringing her attention towards the cliff and the view it presented of the village being illuminated by the setting sun. It was then Hiccup arrived and saw what she was looking at before smiling and walking up next to her as he said.

"Beautiful isn't it?" She turned to him with a smile. "This is one of the reasons why I set up my camp here." She turned to face him but gasped when she saw his hook and how his sleeve was no longer there revealing his prosthetic before Hiccup looked down and saw what surprised her. "Oh, sorry, I forgot you didn't know about my prosthetic arm." He pulled the hook back in replacing it with his hand as the sleeve of his coat extended to cover his prosthetic. "I lost my real arm in battle a while back and when the one I was battling used dark magic on my real arm forcing me to either sever it or die but that's a story for another time." He walked past Toothless over to the boulder by the waterfall. "Anyway, I was practicing with my axe when I heard Toothless growling at something and when I came to investigate there you were, floating halfway in the water."

She jumped onto the boulder and looked around before she looked up at the waterfall and let out a gasp as her mind flashed back to a cave with glowing algae. She remembered a hazy image of someone telling her to kill the general even if it costs her life as it flashed out to show others in the cave before she told the person that the general was their greatest enemy. The person merely replied that she had their gratitude before she told the person that she wasn't ready only for the person to tell her that they had rules and that she couldn't just do as she pleased. It was then she gasped and came out of her flashback as Hiccup walked up next to her and asked.

"Are you alright?" She turned to him. "Did you remember something?" She turned away from him and looked down.

"Are there things you don't want to do but you find you have to?" Hiccup nodded as he smiled.

"Plenty of things but that's what I call life." He walked past her. "But I do my best to live my life as freely as I can and doing whatever I can to help those in need." He hopped off the boulder. "You never know what life's going to throw at you, which is why I study everything, so I can be ready for whatever life throws at me." Toothless walked up to Hiccup who rubbed his head. "They say your fate is set in stone but I prefer to believe that we control our own fates through the way we choose to live our lives and because of this, I choose to live my life helping people where I can and fighting evil to protect the world." He raised his prosthetic. "I do get into some tight binds though but nothing I can't get out of with a bit of cutting." He activated the rotating blade under the top of his hand making the woman stare for a few seconds before her mind flashed back to the battle she had on the ship making Hiccup worry when he saw her freeze up and placed his hand on her shoulder as he asked. "You okay?"

She quickly turned around and blasted him with her magic sending him flying back and over the cliff before Toothless ran and jumped after him. The woman gasped at what she'd just done when he gave her a fright and jumped towards the cliff to see if Hiccup was alright. As soon as she reached the edge however Toothless flew straight up and came to land behind her with Hiccup on his back as he chuckled before he said.

"I enjoy a good flight but I'd rather not do that again." The woman ran up to him in fear that she may have hurt him but before she could say anything Hiccup held up his hand. "Don't worry, I'm fine thanks to Toothless." Hiccup rubbed the back of Toothless' head. "Care to go for a flight?" She looked away hesitantly.

"I don't know." Hiccup smiled and dismounted before walking up to her and offering his hand.

"It'll be fine and trust me there's few things that can measure to being up there in the sky." She nodded and allowed him to lead her to Toothless who growled at her before he held up his hand silencing him. "Relax bud, there's nothing to worry about." He just growled and nodded but his glare never left the woman as Hiccup hopped onto the saddle and helped her up. "Alright bud now let's take it easy for her first ride."

He just growled before they gently took off before Hiccup gestured to the view making the woman smile as they gently glided across the sky. Hiccup steered Toothless towards the waterfall before they pulled up just below the water as Toothless dipped his feet in it. When they reached the end of the waterfall Toothless did a gentle flip and flew them down towards a grassy field filled with dandelions that let their seeds fly as they glided just above the field leaving a trail of floating seeds behind them. As they flew the woman brought her head out from behind Hiccups shoulder to see the field only for a few stray seeds to fly into her face making her give a gentle sneeze making Hiccup chuckle. It was then a strong wind hit them from the side making Toothless rock scaring the woman who gripped harder onto Hiccup but he just gave a small blush. They flew low into a forested section before the woman felt uneasy when she heard a hiss and looked back but Hiccup just kept steering Toothless not noticing the snakes raising their heads from the bushes or lowering them from the trees they were in. It was then Hiccup and the woman looked up and saw a snake lash out at them with its fangs bared but they quickly leaned to the right avoiding the snake.

Hiccup raised his prosthetic and ran it through his hair right before an orange snake with darker spots its body and over its eyes leapt at him and wrapped its body around his neck and prosthetic while leaning its head back and opened its mouth ready to sink its fangs into Hiccup but before it could the woman blasted it back with her magic. The snake went flying and landed into a tree alive but injured before they broke through the trees and landed on in a clearing on the edge of a cliff being looked own from where Hiccups camp was set up. Hiccup dismounted breathing heavily as he walked over to the cliff wondering what was wrong with those snakes since they seemed more aggressive than usual. He turned to the woman who'd just dismounted Toothless and asked.

"Are you alright, those snakes were pretty aggressive." She nodded.

"I'm fine but it looked like that last one was after you." He shrugged.

"I'm alright but I'm not sure why they attacked like that." He shook his head and looked down the cliff in thought when he saw the jade hairpin the woman used to try and kill the general stabbed into the side of the cliff and used his prosthetic to pull the pin out of the wall before turning to the woman. "Where'd this thing come from?"

He turned it around in his hand as the woman reached out to it only for it to begin glowing and floating while letting out waves of magic as the woman did the same floating forward while she flashed back to how she ended up in the water and the pin in the wall. Hiccup just watched with Toothless doing the same and they so focused they didn't notice the woman was floating towards the cliff until the magic stopped and both she and the hair pin fell down as Hiccup watched in horror. He quickly jumped off the cliff diving after the woman while spreading his own wings to slow his descent. When he got to the trees he pulled his wings back in and used the branches to slow his decent to the ground before looking around for where the woman and hairpin landed. As he looked though he heard a voice that sounded like it was covered by metal say.

"Wait, I think I know her." He ran towards the voice and found the woman lying unconscious on the ground with two of the general's soldiers looking down at her with their spears pointed at her. "Isn't she the assassin the generals after?" The other guard answered.

"She is!" Hiccup muttered in thought.

"The general?" He looked down. "Assassin?"

"It could be a trap." He looked back up at the guards as the other said.

"Quick, before she wakes up."

The other one raised the sickle blade of his spear to bring it down but before he could Hiccup activated the speed mode on his ox flame boots as his coat turned into a jacket and ran at the guard. He quickly grabbed the spear out of his hand before he could bring it down as he ran past the guards who only saw a blur and felt a breeze. The guards looked at the now empty hands in confusion before Hiccup let out a whistle from behind them and they both turned to see him standing there with the spear in his real hand and his prosthetic arm uncovered and on his hip. He smirked at them as he asked.

"Now is that any way to treat a lady?" They just glared at him. "I guess you boys are going to need to be put in a timeout."

He quickly raised his prosthetic as the disk launcher lifted and he launched one of his disk bola at each of them before they could react. They were wrapped up by the bola and on the ground struggling in ten seconds flat as Hiccup walked over to them after stabbing the spear into the ground. He kneeled down next to the struggling soldiers who looked up at him in fear as he looked at them with no emotion before he said.

"Sweet dreams!"

He then pointed his prosthetic at their heads and let out a cloud of knockout gas into their faces before they coughed and then fell lifelessly to the ground. Hiccup glared at them before walking over to the woman and hairpin and picking up the hairpin and then picking the woman up bridle style and leaving the two unconscious men behind.

Nightfall

The woman lay in the hut she originally woke up in restlessly moving around as her mind pulsed with memories of what happened before her eyes snapped open and she quickly sat up. She looked around until her eyes landed on Hiccup, sitting outside on a rock and examining the hairpin. She slowly walked out and said.

"That hairpin and I are connected." Hiccup looked up at her.

"You're awake." He handed her the pin and she began examining it as she sat down.

"I think this is magic but I don't know how to use it." A slight glimmer went through the pin illuminating writing on the top of it. "Precious Jade!" Hiccup leaned towards the pin.

"Wait a second!" She handed him the pin and he began examining while muttering. "Precious Jade." Knowing he'd heard it before and then his eyebrows lifted as he remembered where he'd heard it the name before. "That workshop!"

"What workshop?"

"It's in an almongrove just outside of Yongzhou." He looked down at the pin. "And it's said they construct the finest wares out of that little workshop." He passed the pin back to her. "It must be one of theirs so we should go ask them about it." The woman looked from him to the pin.

"Hiccup, thank you." She then sighed and looked down. "Don't trouble yourself though." She looked back to the pin. "Who knows what kind of person I am." Hiccup smiled at her.

"Even if that isn't clear yet I know this, you're not evil and I know evil since I've gone up against it enough times to tell the what it is." She smiled at him. "We're going to have to walk though since after we got back I had a vision of the emperor being in trouble so I sent Toothless back to the forbidden city to help protect him." She nodded but before she could reply a voice from below yelled out.

"WE'RE WITH THE GENERAL, OPEN UP!" They turned down towards the village and saw a small group of men on horseback travelling towards the gate.

"The general?" His eyes widened when he remembered that the generals second in command was coming tonight to collect the snakes and the two soldiers most likely told him about him. "We have to get out here since I doubt those soldiers kept their mouths shut about us." She nodded before Hiccup turned to a small clearing and summoned his ninja. "Protect the villagers at any cost." They nodded before jumping off the cliff while Hiccup and the woman ran. "I'll tell you about them later but they'll buy us some time." She nodded before they took off into the night.

Down in the village

The gates opened and the men charged in with their horses standing aside to allow the generals second in command to come in lounging on a throne that was strapped to the back of his beast. The villagers backed up in fear of the beast and its rider knowing what they were capable of before the village head stepped forward hesitantly and said.

"Forgive us, this year snakes are scarce, we've done our-" He was cut off when all three heads leaned forwards and roared in his face making him reel back in fear and whimper while the beasts rider said.

"The world's in chaos and demons are rising while the land is ruled by a child." The heads pulled back. "The general is hard at work honing his skills to save the country." He parted his hands gesturing around him.

"Right!" The elder looked down. "Demons feed on flesh and show no mercy while a child is unfit to rule and bring back order." He hesitantly looked back up. "We are truly grateful for the General." The Taoistrested his forehead against his bent fingers.

"However tonight" He threw Hiccups bola that were now undone to the ground. "I'm here regarding these bola." He lowered his hand. "Whom do they belong to?" They all hesitated to answer knowing how kind Hiccup had been to them during his stay. "Also is there an unusual woman wearing white in this village?" Everyone stepped back in fear before a guard on horseback pointed the sickle end of his spear at a man and woman with a baby in their arms as he yelled.

"ANSWER HIM!"

They curled up around the baby who began to cry harder before he used the sickle to hook the top of the blanket the baby was wrapped in and lift it up before the baby's parents tried to step forward but the men pointed their weapons at them. Fearing for their child's life they dropped to their knees and begging for no harm to come to their baby to whom the Taoistreplied.

"Relax, just state the truth and nothing shall happen."

Before they could reply a Kunai came flying at the baby cutting the blanket where it was connected to the blade making the baby fall but before it could touch the ground a white blur grabbed it in mid air and landing in front of the parents. This blur was revealed to be Hiccups ninja who had chosen the name Wind who was now cradling the infant in his arms before gently passing it back to the parents. The guard who originally had the baby pulled his spear back to stab Wind in the back but before he could a chain of Earths kyoketsu-shoge wrapped around his arm from on top of the wall and pulled him off his horse and up onto the wall. There was a grunt of pain from above and then silence before the soldier was tossed down from the wall unconscious as they all watched. Earth then leapt from above and landed next to wind with his kyoketsu-shoge at the ready before Fire, Water and Metal joined them all with their weapons at the ready. (AN: Having trouble remembering it can be found on chapter 117) The Taoist stared at them for a few seconds before he smiled and gave a sarcastic applause as he said.

"Impressive work gentlemen" He stopped applauding before they leapt at him. "but it won't save you." He raised his arms at them and black smog he used on the ship and struck them head on and they were destroyed. "Now that that's out of the way who hired those foreign warriors to attack me?" Nobody spoke but the father of the baby who was threatened answered.

"None of us, Hiccup must have left them here to protect us." He looked at the man.

"Who is this Hiccup and where did he hire those men from."

"He's a traveler who's missing his left eye and has a golden arm who can also summon those ninja at will." The generals second in commands eyes widened in shock before he smiled and let out a cold chuckle.

"So the destroyer of the demon lord Akuhei has chosen to grace our land with his presence." He then turned to the men. "Search the village!" They all let out a yes sir and charged in.

Meanwhile

Hiccup gripped his prosthetic in pain as the symbol that represented the blessing of the Japanese gods glowed the colors of his ninja's cloaks. He knew this meant his ninja had been taken down but not out since he knew when defeated their forms just return to shadows to repair the damage done to their bodies. He turned to the woman who had walked ahead of him and ran up to her while saying.

"We need to keep moving, the generals second in command just took out my ninja's." She nodded and they continued walking.

Unknown location

Two male snake demons, one with a baldhead that looked scaly on the forehead and the other with black hair tied up in a bun looked out a hole in the cave wall. The baldheaded one asked.

"How much longer do we have to stay in this cave and live in fear?" An annoyed sigh from behind made them separate and look behind them to see another male snake demon with his tail wrapped around a stalactite but too dark to tell any of his features.

"It was a crucial task." He lowered the top of his tail to reveal a glowing blue rattle. "Our master should've chosen me." He shook the rattle in aggravation before a voice announced.

"THE SCOUTS BACK!"

They all gathered in the middle of the cave, which was full of stone pillars, glowing green moss and two pools of glowing green water. The pillars were bumpy like mushrooms on top of each other, with multiple snake demons wrapped around them while others preferred the floor. They were all gathered around a large stone platform that reached three feet in height and rested in front and below a stone balcony over one of the glowing pools and in front of a dark cave. On this platform was the orange snake that attacked Hiccup lowering its head weakly as the demons looked at him while whispering amongst themselves. A rumbling sound came from the cave silencing them all as glowing yellow slit like pupils outlined by red on the top appeared in the darkness before a female voice asked.

"She really attacked you?" The snake replied.

"Yes and she was serious enough that she nearly killed me." The surrounding demons began whispering among themselves again in outrage. "And for some reason the generals army is racing this way."

The snake demon with a rattle tale dropped from above revealing himself to be well muscled with blue eyes with black surrounding them, multiple large dark blue spikes coming out of his shoulders, a baldhead with smaller spikes coming out around it, a swirly patterned tattoo on his chest and wearing dark blue armguards that went up to his elbows. He slithered forward and slammed his left fist into his right hand and said.

"Master, she's joined the dark forces and betrayed us." Before he could continue the snake said.

"Also she was on the back of some sort of black dragon with a man who possessed a golden arm, it looked as if they were fond of each other." The snake demon shook his rattle before spikes burst out of it.

"What?" The eyes widened as they looked at him.

"Really?"

They pulled back revealing a second pair as they pulled back into the darkness as the sound of shifting echoed. After that a woman walked out of the cave with her hair tied up above her head with a crown of crimson metal lined with black metal and two black metal scale snakes with red lining and glowing yellow eyes that looked to be alive walked out. She was also wearing a dress that looked to be fused with scales and armor with the chest plate being crimson red lined with black metal at the top and two snakes intertwining on top. He skirt looked to be made of red scales lined with black with a slit in the right s ide exposing her leg and armguards looking to be the same material. On either shoulder was a shoulder guard that looked like a snake's head with black curved scales facing up while holding a crimson cape that looked made of scales and jagged at the bottom. At the sight of her all the snake demons said.

"MASTER!" She just hummed before sweeping her cape forward forming a glowing golden snake that slithered down as they all held their hands towards it while she said.

"Don't forget that the mantra I've taught you all is the very key to mutual strength." The golden snake coiled around the orange snake as the snake demons held their hands out towards it. "This shared, flows to the source united in good and bad." The snake raised its head as the orange snake glowed and floated before the golden snake roared and then vanished as the orange snake dropped to reveal itself to be a demon with arm bands with scales like that of its own and brown patches on its forehead before it placed its right fist in its left hand.

"My thanks master, to you and everyone, I am restored." She just brushed her cape back before the snake with the rattle growled.

"Master, the white snake has betrayed us all, that's the-" He was cut off when a glowing green chain flew past him and a woman wearing a dark green cloak and hood and a metal snake wrapped around her right wrist with dark green eyeliner jumped down from and edge and kneeled with her right fist in her left hand.

"Master, she would not betray us, I'll bring her back." The snake with the rattle looked down at her.

"You?" His eyes widened. "We all know how close you two are."

"Master, use the scorching death scales." The demons muttered in fear hearing this before the master sighed and threw three scales that resembled burning cinders at the woman and went right into her making her wince in pain and breath heavily.

"Bring her and the hairpin back in three days, even I can't save you should the scales activate."

"Yes!" She then jumped out of the cave as the snake with the rattle growled and watched but turned when his master called his name.

"Chang-Pan!" He bowed to her. "Find her and should she truly be with a human who possesses this golden arm kill them both and bring me both the arm and what he hides behind the eye patch." He nodded and took off.

Snake catcher village

The Taoist examined the bolas, which was now on a boulder as the village head watched.

"So the boy didn't leave anything behind?" He pointed at one of them with two fingers before it began to bounce and turned into a bat scaring the village head as it took off while the Taoistturned to a soldier. "Notify the general, he should head here."

"Yes sir."

"If I cane extract that young ladies energy and control what that boy has then you snake catchers shall no longer have any use!" He leapt back onto his mount, which gave a roar with all three heads before taking off.

Afternoon the next day

Hiccup and the woman were on a small boat floating across the river leading to the city with an elderly man with a small grey beard and moustache, wearing a straw hat and a shawl captaining it from behind. The woman was sitting on the edge at the front of the ship as Hiccup just walked out of the cabin with a lit paper lantern since it was getting dark. He stood up fully as he said.

"Yongzhou's not far." He climbed up the mast pole and hung up the lantern before walking up to the woman who was examining the hairpin. "Still no memory?" He sat down next to her as she put the pin back in her hair. "If I had that issue, I'd have a big headache." She just brushed a strand out of her face while he picked up some dried grass from a basket next to him. "I just can't imagine not knowing yourself," He began weaving the grass into the shape of a flower. "Where you've been or what you've done but then again some things are best forgotten." He lifted the now weaved flower with multiple branches making up the stem. "Look the wrong way and the seasons turn." He lowered the flower. "Our lives are short but sorrow is long so best focus on the good stuff." She smiled as the captain took a drink of water before taking a few sips of water from his gourd and then singing a tune horribly off key making Hiccup chuckle as he picked up an unlit lantern and running back before hopping on the roof of the cabin. "Hey captain, no offense but that song sounds like it comes from the first dynasty." The captain chuckled. "Mind if I sing one?"

"Sure go ahead." Hiccup climbed up to the top of the mast and sat down while lighting the lantern and hanging it before he sung.

"Can't you see, waters east flow without a trace go at their own pace." The song echoed through the valley. "Can't you see sun above sets behind the hills rises as it will." They entered a tunnel as Hiccup took the lantern and put the flower on top of it while spreading the branches forming a diamond pattern. "No concern as it gleams" He put the lantern back and rocked it making the light dance across the walls. "as life floats by it's a dream, no concern as it gleams this life floats by it's a dream."

"Lovely!" The woman gave a small laugh. "It's so true it is like a dream." Hiccup lowered himself back to the deck and walked up to her. "Enjoying life, it's nice."

"If you like the song I could teach it to you."

"Alright."

He then began teaching her the lyrics as they sailed through the tunnel coming out smiling and just enjoying each other's company. When Hiccup felt she had it he chuckled and asked.

"Got it?" She nodded. "Let's sing it together, we might as well since we've got the time." Hiccup sat on the railing looking up at the woman from behind not realizing that he was slowly falling in love but it was then she looked down sadly and sighed.

"A mysterious woman." She raised her hand. "Mysterious powers." She lowered her hand. "She could be human or demon." Hiccup stood up.

"You think you're a demon?" He walked up next to her. "They're all shapes and sizes but they're also known to bring misfortune on innocents from some harmless prank to bringing illnesses and death." He turned to her. "What makes you think you're one?" She smiled at him as he looked ahead. "and who cares if you are?" He turned to her. "I told you, I know evil when I see it and you're not evil since if you were I would take you on in a battle to protect the innocent like I did with the demon lord Akuhei." Before she could reply the ship began shaking hard as the captain yelled out.

"Be careful, the river runs fast here and you could fall in."

They stood firm until it slowed down before they came into a wide opening in the river where a single raft floated with a small paper lantern illuminating the only passenger, a figure sitting on the deck with its body hunched over and covered in a cloak while their head was covered in a straw hat. The woman glared at the figure feeling uneasy at the sight as they got closer to the raft before the figure lifted their shoulders and then brought them down sending a shockwave through the water at the boat making it jump. The water calmed down as a wall of water formed behind the ship and the raft cutting off their way out as Hiccup joined the woman glaring at the raft and for a few seconds there was no sound other than the water. The passenger looked at them through a crack in their hat as they said.

"You really are with a human." They raised their head to reveal Chang-Pan as his spikes extended from his face and shoulders. "Your life is mine."

He then turned into a giant black rattlesnake with a glowing blue rattle and spiky head that jumped into the air before barbs extended from the sides of his rattle. He then thrust it towards Hiccup and the woman but they jumped out of the way making him it the deck launching the captain up from the back. He caught the captain on his tail and threw him into the water as Hiccup held out his hand yelling.

"NO!"

Chang-Pan then lunged forward and tried to sink his fangs into Hiccup but the woman pulled him back before he struck and the woman jumped back dodging the blow. He raised his head again from the deck and lunged at her but she jumped up and landed on the mast as Chang-Pan pulled back and jumped into the air. He began shaking his rattle making huge and loud sound waves that forced Hiccup and the woman to cover their ears before he struck again while they were dazed. Chang-Pan succeeded in knocking both the woman and top of the mast off sending the woman falling to the deck as Hiccup ran to her and used his body to shield her from the falling debris. He then looked up at the Chang-Pan who was floating in the air and lunged at them but Hiccup ran up to meet him as he released his crystal spear and readied to swing it at him. The woman looked up and time seemed to slow down. She growled as her black hair would turned bluish white, and small white scales would grew form her face and replaced her eyebrows while her eyes turned icy blue as did her eyelids while her pupils turned to slits. Her lower body became that of a snake with white scales and a sharp blade at the end but Hiccup didn't notice however for his attention was on Chang-Pan. It was as he was about to strike that the woman brought her tail down on Chan-Pan slicing his bent body into three separate pieces as blue blood gushed out.

Hiccup lowered his spear and turned to the side and found the woman's tail covered in Chang-Pan's blood and watched in shock as it pulled back under the woman's skirt as she collapsed, unconscious while a cold mist rose from the blood on the ship. It was then the walls of water dropped making the ship rock again and nearly causing the woman's body to fall overboard through the dent in the railing Chang-Pan made. He rushed over to her and pulled her away to make sure she was alright but she just let out a cold breath as the blood on her face froze but he held onto her as the ship continued down the river. He only let go of her once and that was to grab the captain who washed up on a boulder since he didn't want the old man to drown.

Nightfall

Hiccup was able to dock the ship on a small beach near the city and tend to the old mans wounds before leaving him with a bag of gold to pay for the damages to his ship. Once that was done he carried the woman away in his arms bridal style and took refuge at the top of a pagoda that overlooked the city. As he carried her though he looked down at her now knowing she was a demon but he couldn't kill her since he knew she wasn't evil and perhaps could help him defeat the general but what he refused to admit was he had feelings for her.

He gently lay her down on a grass mat in front of a giant Buddhist statue with others surrounding them against the walls as she shivered and actually froze up the floor making him worry. He put a metal plate down and set up some logs on it before using his prosthetic arm to ignite them forming a fire in an attempt to warm her up. Seeing she was still shivering he pulled her towards him and held her against her body trying to warm her up as the frost spread around the room making him hold her tighter as he slowly fell asleep.

When it near sundown the next day and the suns light shone its light upon them she woke up and gasped as she pushed Hiccups sleeping form away from her and sat up while looking around. She looked down at her body and pulled up her skirt to see her legs and looked down sadly realizing she was truly a demon. She looked down at Hiccups sleeping form wondering why he was holding her and realized she to had been falling in love with him. She stood up and walked out before hopping onto the roof below the balcony and walking over to the edge before sitting down while watching the sunrise of the city of Yongzhou with the only sound being the bells hanging from the edge of the roof. It was then someone brought her out of her thoughts b by saying.

"There you are." She turned to see Hiccup. "I was worried, you'd left."

"Hiccup, why were you holding me?" He hopped over the railing and began walking to her.

"You were so cold you iced up the room and the fire wasn't helping enough so I held you to keep you warm." She nodded as she turned back to the city as he sat down on her right.

"A demons tail." She let out a puff. "I guess I am one." Hiccup looked at the view.

"Does it matter?" She turned to him. "This the world is full of horrible people who don't have tails so who cares if you've got one?" She stared at him and raised her hand to caress his face but he turned to her before she could touch him and she lowered her hand while looking down.

"You're not horrible." He smiled.

"And you're not evil, I can just tell." She smiled and for a few minutes they just sat there enjoying the gentle breeze.

One hour later

They walked through the market place of the city with many people at stalls eager to sell their wares with many buyers but also many refugees sitting on the ground starving. As they walked they saw an elderly man next to a young woman holding a baby stand up and hold out a bowl towards a man and woman wearing silk clothing showing their wealth with a servant holding their bought items behind them. The elder walked up to him and said.

"Good sir we barely made it to the city with our lives." He just pulled his arm away and walked away until the old man put his hand on his shoulder. "Do you have any food?" The man just swatted the old ma making him drop the bowl as the woman carrying the baby walked up but they just looked at them with disgust as the noble woman said.

"There are so many vagrants around here." The servant looked at her with pity as his master said.

"Let's go dear." The woman reached out to them but was stopped when a voice yelled.

"OUT OF THE WAY!" Multiple horse drawn carriages ran up the road as the woman backed up holding her baby before tripping onto her bum making the baby cry as she went.

"You're alright, don't cry." The old man kneeled down and asked.

"Is she okay?"

Hiccup ran up to them and knelt down picking up the old mans bowl and giving it back to him making him nod in thanks before Hiccup turned to the baby and saw her face was covered in dirt. It broke his heart before he turned back to the old man and reached into his jacket as his spider pack passed him a bag of nuts and some bread. He gave it to the old man who looked at the food in surprise before Hiccup said.

"We all need to look out for each other during tough times." He smiled at Hiccup and took the food as Hiccup pulled out his bottomless water skin and offered it to him. "Here, have a drink of water." He smiled and took the waterskin before taking a few big gulps and offering it to the woman who also had a few sips before she went back to comforting her child as Hiccup took the waterskin back and put a bag with some gold on the mans plate. "Go buy the child some milk." He nodded with a smile.

"Thank you kind sir."

Hiccup just nodded and walked back to the woman who was looking at the refugees sadly before they continued their walk through the city. When they made it out of the city they entered a forest where the leaves were all orange, which is when the woman broke the silence by saying.

"Those poor refugees, it's so sad." Hiccup sighed.

"They're considered lucky since Yongzhou is still relatively safe." As they walked the bat that was once Hiccups bola flew right into his back sending a shiver up his spine before he turned around to see what it was but saw nothing as the woman walked up behind him.

"What's wrong?" Hiccup shook his head.

"It's nothing." He turned around nearly bumping into the woman but their faces were inches away and for a second they paused before she took his hand and lead him down the path.

"Let's go!"

As they walked Hiccup let go of her hand so she wasn't pulling her and just took her hand in his as they walked down the path with the forest providing a peaceful atmosphere. They eventually came to a small building with two red wood pillars on either side of the door with a lantern hanging from the top of either. The paper lanterns did have a strange pattern painted on them however which resembled a face that had a line running down the center and two half open eyes on either side. Between them was a sign, which read Precious Jade Workshop hung above a door made of the same wood. Hiccup pushed the doors open and looked around in amazement, as there weren't any walls but square shaped shelves with many pulled out, the floor was made of stone that were formed into rings with Chinese wording engraved onto it. The only source of light came from the four lamps against the back end with two on either side of a desk with parchments on it. The only sound in the shop was the voice of a woman yelling.

"FASTER!" As they walked in the woman said.

"I think I was here once." Seeing something coming at her he grabbed her and pulled her back to avoid being hit as the same voice from before said.

"POSITION THIRTY-ONE, STOP!"

The thing turned to reveal it was a short wooden bull on wheels with a golden ring nose, a long ladder on its back with cranks on the bottom and a platform on top with a chair. Sitting on the bulls horns were two short men with big wide smiles, both bald and one with a long moustache with both wearing greenish blue robes. The chair on top of the bulls' platform turned to reveal a young girl who was loosely dressed in a red robe with golden patterns and was wide-open revealing an emerald kimono with gold lining but reached just above the middle of her thighs and was had a golden fox mask tied to the belt. The girl herself seemed young and had her hair tied in Chinese style pigtails on either side of her head with orange pink colored flowers in her hair and what looked like pink eyeliner. She was also holding a long pipe with a jade mouth peach and gold end facing up. She looked down at Hiccup and the woman and said.

"We have guests I see." She then saw the woman. "Oh, you've returned young lady, issues with the wand?" Hiccup looked up at her.

"We'd like to know more about its origin."

The woman took the hairpin out of her hair as the girl turned to Hiccup and her eyes widened knowing who he was but she remained professional but giggled and pointed her pipe at the mustached man who twisted the gears making the ladder lower her down. She then hopped onto the head of the other man while the mustached man lay on his belly before she stepped on his back and onto the floor. She stepped up to Hiccup and said.

"Do tell."

She breathed into her pipe andblew out blue smoke before turning her head around fully to reveal the face of a white fox with blue eyes, red lining behind each eye and on her eyebrows. She put her hand on his chest and leaned in while Hiccup leaned back as she said in the voice of an older woman.

"Though you're human I detect the distinct scent of a demon." She climbed onto him and sniffed his neck. "Perchance you were cozy with a certain one." She hopped off as she chuckled and crawled away and stood back up before turning her head back to the human side. "Well regardless, come."

She clapped her hands as the men chuckled before all the draws pulled in and began twisting before fitting firmly in place forming a wall. The two at the back then pushed back to reveal an entryway while the two men continued to chuckle and ran between them before the paper lamps came to life and grow four legs at the bottom while the faces moved. They followed the girl and two men to a large circular pool with a giant golden coin decorated with four lotus flowers on it. The men walked across the pool on top of the water with Hiccup and the woman following but keeping their guard up as the fox demon said.

"Every demon within three hundred feet flops here, if you require artifacts of the magical sort come to precious jade workshop where all our weapons are of demon quality."

They stepped onto the coin before it began to flip but they didn't fall off but they did hold their breath when they went into the water only to come through completely dry but upside down. They found themselves in a place full of dark green mist and where the lanterns turned from orange to light blue. They slowly began to descend as the shadows of dragons flew in the mist before they came up in a large room with the walls made of rice paper that was colored pink and red with the shadows of demons pounding on anvils. The floor was made of red marble, had a pillar at the six corners of the room, with four statues of foxes and a large lotus pod white and orange around the pool they just raised from surrounded by marble leaves coming from the mist. Flying around were girls with the wings and lower body of dragon flies and rows of boxes made of velvet red wood and colored with bright red patterns that moved as if they were snakes. When they rose up the men were nuzzling the fox demons legs like dogs making he turn and smile as she raised her foot before frowning and kicking the mustached on into one of the middle boxes in a row that was floating by as she ordered.

"Get to work."

Surprisingly the box pulled him in when he was twice its size before she grabbed the other by the ear and threw him into another open box, which immediately closed before his head popped out of another that was four boxes away. The row floated away as they watched before the fox walked up to a desk that was on a platform, had two dragons for legs, two shelves shaped like lotus flowers and had two lanterns on stands. She gently swung her pipe making the wooden rolls on the desk tumble before she raised her pipe and one of the roles lifted as she said.

"This hairpin belonged to another owner if I recall correctly." The roll unrolled in front of her face. "It saps the energy of others and converts it to its owners for future use." She turned them as the roll returned to the desk while the woman looked at the hairpin.

"Saps energy?" The fox demon walked up.

"Indeed." She looked up at her. "This wand has only one equal and it's in the possession of your male friend here."

Hiccup knew she was talking about the dragons' claw and watched as she took a breath from her pipe before turning her head to the fox face and breathed a green smoke onto the pin. The smoke seemed to flow through the woman making her shiver slightly as the smoke returned to the pipe before the fox demons head returned to the human side and said.

"When young lady was here you asked for an alteration," She began walking. "so you could control it." One of the box rows flew down next to her with the second box tuning over and opening as one of the little men held out a bronze gourd towards the demon. "Good!" She tapped it with the end of her pipe branding it with the same seal on the pin before the row moved forward to another box that opened up and showed the small man without a moustache who held a bronze candleholder. "Good!" She tapped it with her pipes end before the man went back in and it moved down again until one of the last chests opened up to reveal the same man holding a bronze bell but she pushed him back this time while saying. "No good." The boxes then went flying away. "But such changes could create large side effects." Hiccup replied.

"I'm guessing that's why she can't remember a thing."

"Oh, I think you're right." Another row of boxes came down next to them. "Ones foes do get drained but then" A box opened up before a bronze dagger was raised to which she simply tapped it with her pipe before the mustached man came up from the chest examining it. "It could and all likely erase ones memories." She hopped onto one of the stone leaves and used it as a step to one of the fox statue. "and without those what use are magic powers?" One of the dragonfly girls carrying a pot flew down and offered it to the fox as green smoke flew threw it and into her pipe. "Heaven knows." She smelt the smoke come out of her pipes mouthpiece. "For every gain there's a loss." Hiccup and the woman looked at the pin. "Poetic no?" She hopped off the statues pedestal. "But young lady was insistent you" She turned her head to the foxes side and dropped to all fours. "Can blame it on this fox's vanity these sorts of reversals," She turned back to the human face. "change in heaven and earth," Two rows of boxes came down with both men popping out of a box. "Evil," She knocked the first one up. "Good." She knocked up the mustached one up and their faces seemed to suck into themselves. "People to demons." They landed with their heads now completely flat. "Manipulating that," She turned her head halfway and with both voiced said. "Holds interest to us." The robes opened to show sickly green demon faces revealing the heads were the torsos that were no laughing making them stare for a second before Hiccup asked.

"Do you know where this hairpins old owner is?" She giggled.

"Of course." She pointed her pipe up and a row of chests came down and flew in front of her before she tapped on a single box, which opened before a large black scale with red lining at the top floated out. "I believe this might help you in your search." It floated into the womans hand as Hiccup asked.

"What's the price for it?" She smiled.

"So eager to have it but the price is nothing since I've already taken all I could use from it." She twisted her head to the fox face. "Now it's of no use to me and is worthless." She turned her head back to the other side. "So feel free to take it." She bowed. "Champion of the gods." Hiccup shook his head before he looked around.

"Thanks but how do we get out of here?" She pointed at the coin in the water with her pipe.

"Same way you came in."

They nodded before hopping onto the coin and sinking into the water before going through the green mist and being flipped over on the other side when they reached the end before walking to the entrance of the shop. As they were about to leave though the fox gave them one of the lantern spirits on a stick and climbed onto Hiccup before she whispered.

"If you ever consider a real woman I can gladly take that place because I wouldn't have any other person to be my mate since with your forging skills we'd make a fortune." She jumped off him as Hiccup backed up before turning to the woman quickly and said.

"Let's get out of here."

She nodded before they walked out into the forest that was now illuminated by the light of the moon and the lantern spirit in Hiccups real hand. As they walked the woman never let her eyes leave the scale she was holding in her left hand. Hiccup was beginning to worry about how she was staring at it so intently and the atmosphere of the silent forest didn't help since it was a little spooky so he decided to break the silence and ask.

"That's pretty big, isn't it?" Her eyes never left the scale.

"It's from one of my kind but they're clearly stronger." She paused for a moment. "I can tell it's a snake scale."

"A snakes?"

It was then the leaves began falling quickly as a cool wind flew by them while the lantern Hiccup was holding turned from yellow to blue showing its fear. They looked around sensing the presence of something else in the forest as Hiccup held his prosthetic ready to release a weapon at a moments notice. It was then the outline of a giant snake in the shadows appeared slowly slithering towards them before the lantern let out a scream while sprouting four legs and running away in fear. Hiccup stood strong though as did the woman's as the snake shifted forms to that of the cloaked woman with the scorching death scales who was sent to bring the woman back. Hiccup stepped in front of the woman to protect her but the hooded figure glared and charged at him but as she pushed her palm out to strike him the woman jumped in front of Hiccup and held up her hand up making their palms meet. There was a small but strong shockwave that threw Hiccup back a few feet and the woman's hood to reveal her long hair tied back in a long ponytail that was tied upwards. The hooded woman looked at the other woman and said.

"BLANCA!" When she said this the name echoed through the woman's head in various voices as she looked down for a moment before realization his her and she asked.

"Verta?" Hiccup just stared at them from the ground and asked.

"Blanca?" The woman now known as Blanca lowered her hand, as she stared at the woman now known as Verta before hugging her around the neck.

"Verta!" This confused Verta. "You're verta." Vertaslowly brought her arms around Blanca. "I…I know who I was." Hiccup then said.

"I hate to break up this touching moment but I think it best we find somewhere else to talk since there's no telling who or what lurks in this forest at night." They both nodded before they all took off.

Half an hour later

They were all in the top room of the pagoda, which is the same room Hiccup and Blanca took shelter in the night before with a fire burning in the middle. Hiccup was leaning on some boxes while Blanca stood in the middle staring at the hairpin in her hand. Verta was sitting on the lap of the Buddhist statue looking down at Blanca without her cloak revealing green armor with coiling snakes on the chest plate and shoulder pads with the left one looking like the top of a snakes head while the other looked like scales. They'd just finished catching Verta up on what they know from when Hiccup first found Blance before she looked at Blanca in confusion as she said.

"You were given that hairpin and an order, to kill the general." She lowered herself from the statue and walked up to Blanca. "You don't recall" She crossed her arms. "sister?" Blanca looked from her to the hairpin while gently shaking her head before looking back to Verta.

"Why does he need snakes?" Verta sighed in disgust and walked to the side.

"That swine is using dark kung fu." She turned her head in Blanca's direction. "The same that we snakes employ." She looked down. "He increases his power by feeding on our essence." She punctuated the last word by turning her head as Hiccup stood up in shock. "Master hates the general and his kind." She looked to the side. "She says they're sinister" She looked at Hiccup. "and vicious to the last." She stepped towards Hiccup but Blanca stepped in front of her.

"He's different, when I was lost" She looked down at the pin. "with no memory" She turned to Hiccup. "he saved me." Verta walked past her.

"Even so I don't trust him." Hiccup just looked down in thought.

"So that's what the general wants with the snakes."

"Deceiver!" Hiccup looked at her. "And you helped the ones who catch snakes by healing them and building their traps killer!"

"I didn't know what he was doing to them."

"Death to the collaborator." She charged at him grabbing him by the neck of his coat and slammed him through the boarded up door before holding him over the edge of a construction bridge but Hiccup just looked at her.

"What's your plan now because if it's to kill me by dropping me, you'll have to do better than that since I've survived worse." Blanca ran up and said.

"Verta, release Hiccup." She tossed him off the edge before Blanca ran up but Verta held her arm in front of her stopping her. "HICCUP!"

Making her turn to Verta but Hiccup just kept falling calmly intending to release his wings to slow his decent but before he could Verta's chain wrapped around his right leg stopping him and lowering him till he was five feet off the ground. Blanca and Verta jumped from the top with Verta's chain extending so Hiccup continued to dangle while Blanca took his hand to make sure he was all right. Verta glared at him and said.

"A human like you, so unwilling to leave her side." She yanked the chain. "You're hiding something!" Blanca then tried calling her off saying.

"Verta!" Hiccup just smirked.

"If you're a snake then I'd be more careful since you seem hot blooded which is not good for a cold blooded creatures health." She growled.

"You" She then let the chain return to her but before Hiccup could begin to fall she grabbed him by his chest plate with her right and pushed him to the ground. "Talk!" He tried to get up but she pushed him down with her elbow. "What are you after?"

His left shoulder began to smoke making her jump back as the bat that was once a bola came out of it and flew at her making her swat it away while Blanca and Hiccup watched in shock. Verta let loose her chain which was revealed to have the head of a snake with red eyes and green flames engulfing the head as it roared but the bat dodged. Before it could escape though Blanca hit it with her own magic making it drop to the ground as a smoking Bola that was bouncing around. Verta looked from the bola to Hiccup and said.

"So you are with the dark forces." Hiccup turned to her after recognizing his bola.

"That may be one of my bola's but I have no idea how it got here or what's going on with it." Verta just looked to Blanca.

"See sister, he is with the general." Hiccup growled as he stood up and looked at her.

"Let's get some things straight shall we?" Verta opened her mouth to reply but Hiccup continued. "I am not with the general, have never met the general and my original reason for this whole journey was to find the general and take him down so order could be brought back to the country." He then looked to Blanca before turning to Verta. "My only other reason for this journey is to help Blanca get her memories and her life back and I'd never hurt her of my own free will." Before he could continue Blanca walked past him.

"Verta, I trust Hiccup." Verta giggled as she turned her head to the side.

"Trust huh?" She turned to them before scales grew on her face and her legs turned into a long green tail while the snake on her right arm glowed with the light of the chain. "I refuse to." She raised her right arm as Blanca gasped. "The human is MINE!"

She thrust her arm forward letting her chains head grow before Blanca pushed Hiccup out of the way and onto the ground as she jumped back. The head of the snake struck the ground causing a small shockwave before the ground crumbled and Hiccup fell into a hidden chamber, dodging some rubble as Blanca jumped in after him. They looked around and found themselves in some sort of tunnel with a roof on either side being held up by red stone pillars leading to an open door. They didn't get to think of it for long though before Blanca grabbed Hiccup and pulled him out of the dirt as she said.

"Get up!" Seconds later Verta's snake headed chain came down where Hiccup was before Verta slithered in.

"Sister, you've forgotten our clans teachings." She raised herself up as Hiccup got in front of Blanca while unfolding his eagle shield ready to protect her. "All humans are devious." She pulled her arm back. "They are cheats and THIEVES!" She thrust her arm forward releasing her snake chain with the mouth wide open but Hiccup thrust his shield forward to meet it knocking it back to her before Blanca pulled him towards the door and behind a pillar, while he folded his shield back up as Verta struck again but only hit the pillar.

"Verta, I don't remember a lot, only our journey here and he's not those things." Verta let out a single ha as she pulled her chain whip back to her.

"I do remember!" She raised herself up and threw her whip again but this time Blanca blocked it with her own magic before Hiccup looked to the door and grabbed her right hand as he said.

"Follow me!"

He pulled her through the opening as Verta thrust her whip forward before the stone slab with glowing aqua words came down and threw her back as her whip struck it. Hiccup and Blanca breathed heavily as they turned to the door as words appeared on it. Blanca touched it but pulled her hand back when it glowed before Hiccup turned to her and said.

"Careful, could be dangerous."

While they stood there Verta was outside on the ground trying to block the light that was weakening her before it glowed brighter making her wonder what was happening inside. Hiccup and Blanca looked away from the door and saw a long hall with intricate carvings of giant faces of a guardian spirit known as Shīsā on the wall with lit candles on the floor lighting the way. They began walking down the hall looking at bones of demons on the floor as Hiccup said.

"Who would've guessed that this pagoda had a hidden tunnel?" As they walked they didn't notice the eyes of the carvings glow faintly blue after they passed them before reaching the end where Hiccup examined the wall. "We should find a way out."

They continued down the passageway eventually coming to a circular room with multiple doors that top heads of Shīsā were on. They slowly walked into the room not noticing the phoenix carved into the ceiling as its eyes began to glow red. It was then the eyes of the Shīsā above the way they came into glowed and the door fell with the same glowing words appearing on it. Soon the other ways out followed by doing the same as the cracks in between the talons of the phoenix glowed while the claws began to open up. Hiccup and Blanca looked around ready for a fight but when their backs were turned the phoenix glowed fully with the cracks in its body glowing as if magma was running through them before it grabbed Blanca and pulled her up while pinning her arms to her sides. It began breathing flames onto her from its mouth as Hiccup yelled out.

"BLANCA!"

She entered her snake form screaming in pain as she waved her tail around trying to free herself accidentally knocking Hiccup over in the process. It was then the floor lifted revealing it to be a platform as aqua flames burst from it while stone eel and tortoise skeletons heads raised their heads towards her and breather blue flames onto her. Hiccup immediately jumped into the flames knowing his immunity would protect him only to find it wasn't needed as they split apart for him. He didn't dwell on this for long and ran towards her before jumping up and grabbing onto the talons that held her stopping the flames before he forced them open and took hold of her. They tumbled down from the platform with Hiccup never letting her go. It was then Hiccup remembered the things he'd been studying involving these types of rooms and their connections to the constellations. He looked up at the phoenix and muttered.

"Bird on the ceiling, tortoise under," He looked at the constellations above the doors. "Pass within, gate without, eight doors, the door of life." He spotted a door. "That's it!"

He picked up Blanca and ran towards the door before diving through it as she returned to her human form with the tortoise and eel heads following and breathing fire. They landed on the ground with Hiccup skidding ahead of her along with the hairpin with both of them breathing heavily. Blanca pushed herself up revealing her face still had scales as Hiccup got up before she pulled them back in as Hiccup picked up the pin and walked up to her. She felt her face as Hiccup kneeled down and put the hairpin back in her hair. He took her hand and helped her up as he said.

"Don't worry" They stood up. "we went through the door of life."

He then gently led her down the hall into a large chamber that had eight stone lamps at the points of an octagon built into the floor and lit up when they entered. In the four corners of the room where large statues of demons being slayed and in the center was a circle of tiles with the outer rimming holding constellations carved into each tile. In the center of this circle was a giant skeleton of a bat like demon with three eyeholes that had been chained up around its body and the other ends in the top of the statues. Impaling this skeleton was a rectangular golden pillar that went right through it with a bell on top that had four rings in it with the halves sticking out with four large golden Chinese coins on them. Blanca looked around and asked.

"What is this place?"

"It looks like an underground exorcism chamber so it should be safe for humans." Hiccup looked around. "Still, why is there a Taoist chamber down here?" He looked around. "I guess there was an abandoned temple and they built the pagoda on top of it." Blanca whimpered and backed away from the skeleton before Hiccup ran up to her and held her arm. "Relax, there should be clues around here." He looked around before turning to her. "I'll go look while you wait here." She looked into his eyes. "I promise you we will get out of here." She nodded before he ran off leaving her alone as she looked around before her eyes landed on the writing carved into the pillar and gasped before she stepped up and read.

"Heaven and earth, breath of all life, cease this honing magic abounds, demons wither, monsters shrivel, evil expires drowned by heaven."

When she reached the end she saw the yin yang symbol surrounded by an octagon made by three rows when the writing and engravings glowed gold and seemed to flow out at her. It was then memories flashed before her eyes of humans using hooks on sticks to catch snakes going so far as to stab the hooks into their heads. Then came two of the generals men killing two of her own kind with the second one being forced into a tree by a soldier stabbing his spear into his stomach before the second one stabbed his into the demons body killing him. It was then the memory of the general draining the essence from the snakes flashed before her eyes then came memory of her master giving her the hairpin and the order to kill the general. Then came her battle with the Taoistand then the final memory of Toothless looking down at her before she blacked out. She came out of her memories rubbing her head before she dropped back on the floor as the coins on the rings jingled as she said.

"I remember it all." She stared at the writing as Hiccup came running in.

"I found the exit so let's go." She just kept staring at the writing.

"Hey Hiccup." He raised an eyebrow. "Would you say demons are fated to die?"

"Blanca, you're-"

He didn't know to say to that as she lowered her head before his eyes landed on the writing and he growled while clenching his fist before releasing his lion gauntlets. He walked up to the pillar and began punching it making the sound of metal being struck echo through the chamber as the metal bent with every punch. Blanca silently watched surprised by Hiccups anger and how he kept punching until the words were near unreadable before Hiccup said.

"Damn the general for forcing innocent people to catch snakes for the slaughter while the people themselves suffer." He collapsed his gauntlets. "His thirst for immortality and power's thrown the country into chaos that's only get worse and spread as long as he's free to continue on this dark path." He turned to Blanca and bent down, as he looked her in the eyes and grabbed her by the arms under her shoulders. "Blanca, whatever happens I'll be there and I won't let anything happen to you."

She took a few breaths before wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug while resting her head on his shoulders surprising him. For a few second he just froze before her wrapped his arms around her waist and returned the hug and enjoying it. As she hugged him she realized the simple truth and that was she had fallen irreversibly in love with Hiccup before she pulled away and gently caressed his face before she slowly leaned in pausing for just a second and then leaning in and kissing him full on the lips. Hiccup embraced the kiss and kissed back as he closed his eyes and continued enjoying the kiss as he came to realize that like Blanca he'd fallen in love with her and this time he was not going to allow to his chance at love to escape him.

She pulled back and bent her head to the side and kissing him again while he wrapped his arms around her waist embracing her. She pulled away and hugged him while resting her head on her shoulder and saw her reflection in the dented words making her fear they couldn't be together but at least for now she could enjoy the feeling of being with the man she loves. They pulled away as he gently caressed her cheek as they stared into each other's eyes before Blanca gently pushed the shoulder of her kimono off and allowed the top to fall to her waist leaving her top exposed. Hiccup just gave it a quick glance before returning to the face of the woman he loved as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into another deep kiss while he gently caressed her bare back eventually falling back with her as they kissed in the light of the lanterns flames.

Half an hour later

Hiccup pushed a large stone slab out of the way and slightly stumbled outside where it had begun to rain as Blanca stood behind him silently. He turned to her and smiled before offering his hand which she took before he lead her down the hill and onto the path where Verta was waiting on a stone bench next to a metal lamp. Hiccup glared at her as Blanca walked past him and up to Verta who smiled at her hopefully as she asked.

"Sister?" Blanca took her hand.

"Verta, I'll go with you." Verta gasped.

"Sister, you've seen the light?" Hiccup then asked.

"Where are you going?" Blanca didn't turn around as she answered.

"Sorry, we need to part ways."

"Why should we?"

"The world's heartless." She slowly began to change forms. "There are rules here and so many things that I'm forced to do." Her torso rose up. "You're human, I'm demon." She began swaying her tail. "You said once that some things are best forgotten." She turned her body to him as she raised her tail and pointed the blade at the end at him while he just looked down heartbroken but he wasn't going to let this chance at love slip away.

"It's like you say, the world can be heartless and our paths are different but what we have is real." Verta just let out a small chuckle. "I've had two chances at love before only for them to be stolen from me and I'm not going to let that happen again." He looked up at her. "I will find a way for us." He then activated the speed mode on his ox flame boots and ran up to her before hugging her from behind as he whispered. "Just give me time and wait for me and if you leave then I will find you if it takes me the rest of my life." With that said he let her go and ran off as Blanca breathed heavy while her eyes were open wide and full of emotion before she turned to watch him vanish as Verta put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Half an hour later

The rain had come to an end leaving water to drip from the tree leaves while Blanca stood at the open doorway at the top of the pagoda looking up at the moon as she thought about Hiccup and whispered.

"You're human, if we're together it'll just hurt you." It was then Verta in her demon form lowered herself down from the rafters and rested her hands on Blanca's shoulders with her head on her left as she said.

"Sister, I doubt he'll return, we should go back." She lifted her head up and slithered her torso before playing with one of Blanca's strands of hair. "Sister," She moved her head to the other side making Blanca turn to face her. "we've been together for hundreds of years now." She caressed Blanca's right cheek and lowered it to her shoulder.

"Things are different though for him." She gently pushed Verta's hand and walked back into the room as Verta's chest glowed with cracks that seemed to be lit with flames and reached her chin as she growled in pain and held her hand over the source before it died and she began to walk up to Blanca while returning to her human form.

"We work so diligently and endured such hard ship." She ran her left hand over the table. "Forms like these aren't easy to obtain." She rested her head and hands on Blanca's shoulder. "Or these lovely faces." She saw a rat scurrying across the floor. "But our true nature will reveal itself." She stabbed it with her whip making blood splatter across the wall as she pulled her whip back and licked the blood off the tip of the snake on her wrist. "When it does will he still find you charming?" Blanca pulled away from her and turned towards the door as Verta looked up at the statue in the middle. "Master once said only humans know the taste of love and desire."

"When I first awoke I thought I was one." Verta turned to her half snake form and slithered through the ring the statues fingers made and lay on its arm in its lap.

"I think the taste of love and desire is overrated." She caressed the stone. "Laying like this it's like the statue's embracing me." She sighed. "Isn't this good enough?"

"It's cold though!" Verta looked at her for a moment before the burning cracks returned but they'd spread making her growl and whimper in pain before she turned to her human form and jumped to the floor burning it with her steps.

"Am I cold to?" Blanca turned to answer her but saw the glowing cracks and gasped before running up to Verta.

"What's that on you." She took Verta's hand and pulled it away when it burnt her as Verta said.

"Don't!" Blanca stepped back. "It's the scorching death scales." Blanca gasped. "I promised the master I'd get you back in three days, if not-" Blanca finished.

"The death scales will tear you in two." Tears began to form in her eyes. "Why did you-" She was cut off by the sound of a horse coming from outside making them turn in the direction it came from followed by someone ordering other to surround the pagoda.

"Sister!" They knew they were in for a fight.

Precious Jade Workshop

Hiccup was once again in the workshop of Precious Jade looking at the fox demon that was lounging on her desk smiling at Hiccup who just told her what happened and asked if she could help in any way. She giggled and said.

"Yes champion, I can help you."

"You can?" Her two assistants walked up holding a ball hammer.

"You know I was young once to, rather frivolous as well as wild." She tapped her pipe on the hammer marking it with the stamp of approval before walking to the other side of the table. "Even now I have quite a few regrets." Her assistants ran over to a box and threw the hammer in as she took a sip of her pipe and breathed out smoke. "You should know that one day you could regret this."

"I'll regret things for the rest of my life if I let this chance at love slip through my fingers like I did the other times." She giggled.

"So be it!" She sat down crossing one leg over the other. "You are young aren't you?" Swinging her pipe as her two assistants carried a bronze sword up to her. "Though transactions require an exchange." She finished her last word while tapping her pipe on the bronze sword past her leaving her stamp of approval on it. "Can you afford what it'll cost?"

"What do you want because I'll go to the ends of the earth to be with Blanca?"

"Good, there is one way." She jumped at him while turning her head to the fox side. "Become a demon!"

"What?" She turned her face back to the human side as she walked away.

"Young one, think!" She turned to him. "If you're a demon then you two can stay together." Hiccup thought for a moment. "However I'd need to take your vital essence." She raised her pipe making a large cauldron filled with glowing liquid rise from the center of the rooms' floor. "Demons such as ourselves require human vitality to create our magic weapons." The dragon fly girls flew around. "The most effective demonic weapons are forged from this very vitality." One of the dragon fly girls flew up to one of the anvils behind the rice paper and poured a small cauldron contents onto it. "Precious jade workshop is renowned for staying on the leading edge of that front."

"If I have to then it's a deal."

"Good." She clapped her hands and the disk they were on lifted floating around the pot. "However, do you understand the consequences, as a human you are afforded several advantages such as peace and safety." They floated up to the side. "You muddle through life taking it for granted but as one of us gods, humans and Taoists will all want to kill you." Before she could continue Hiccup released his star sword and held it to her neck making her eyes widen.

"They can try, now enough with the talk and begin because I want to get to Blanca before she leaves." She gulped and nodded as every demon stopped what they were doing to stare at him, including the ones behind the rice paper as the disk landed above the cauldron.

"Very well then, let's start!"

She breathed in her pipe as Hiccup collapsed his sword before she breathed blue smoke into his face as the fox statues rose with the lotus pod that opened to reveal a statue of a sitting fox. Before Hiccup could react the room turned red and the lanterns purple before shackles shot out of the mouths of the original four fox statues and grabbed Hiccups limbs restraining him. The giant foxes statues mouth opened with a fire as the dragon fly girls flew up while opening their mouths to reveal mosquito like tongues as they flew towards Hiccup. Before they could react however the symbols on his prosthetic arm that represented his blessings of the gods glowed brightly and then he released a giant yellow shockwave. This shockwave not only threw all of the dragon fly girls back but also threw the fox demon and her assistants back while also destroying the statues with the shackles restraining him. Hiccup dropped to the disc that lowered itself back down to the floor as Hiccup stood up and asked.

"What was that?" The fox demon stood up dazed.

"It seems that when the gods gave you their blessings they also gave you a defense against us being able to harvest your vitality." She sighed. "Shame since with yours we'd be able to forge the most powerful weapons ever produced by demons." She shook her head. "Sorry but it looks like you and that snake of yours won't be able to be together." Hiccup looked down before he clenched his fists.

"Yes we will." He looked up at the fox demon. "I don't care if she's demon and I'm human, I love her and if I have to take on the gods to protect her than so be it." The fox demon smiled.

"Then don't tell me, go tell her." Hiccup nodded before the coin flipped and he was slowly lowered to the floor so he could return to Blanca.

The pagoda

The entire pagoda was now completely surrounded by the generals' soldiers while the Taoistrode into the room where Blanca and Verta were on his mount through dust that was made when he broke open the wall. The heads looked at the two snake demons and let out a simultaneous roar as they brought in their master who looked at them with a smile as he said.

"Hello, we meet again." He rose on hand under the other. "That hairpin isn't so fearsome." Blanca took it in her fingers ready to bring it out as Verta slithered up next to her in demon form. "You tried to kill my master with such meager power?" He chuckled as the heads roared and turned its body while the Taoistrubbed his chin through the veil. "One of your kind is quiet the valuable thing" He removed his hand and examined his palm. "to Taoists like us." He turned to them. "You're worth ten thousand snakes." Verta pulled her arm back ready to release her whip

"Why you-" Blanca held her arm with their eyes never leaving him.

"Which is why I informed my master you were at snake catcher village." He leaned back. "Looking at the hour he should arrive there soon." He chuckled and looked at them. "Leaving you two all to me." He parted his hands and held them up at his sides. "There's no reason to share the power." Verta laughed.

"Little Taoist, you really are awful," She crossed her arms. "but thanks for the information." She lowered her arms. "Once we're finished with you, your master will shortly follow."

He simply gave a chuckle and turned his mount to face them before having it lunge at them but they both jumped out of the way with Blanca jumping to the right and Verta to the left making it hit the base of the Buddhist statue. When she landed Blanca turned to her demon form while the beasts' heads pulled out of the stone. It charged at them with Verta slithering out of the way and Blanca slithering back catching its attention before it gave chase as she slithered around the room. When she stopped at the top of one of the support beams Verta took the chance a struck the beasts left hind leg. Verta then quickly slithered down before and began slithering through around the beasts' legs making it hard to balance and distracting it before Blanca slithered up and jumped up in front of its heads while curling her tail.

She then swung it right at the heads hitting all three simultaneously and the scraping the Taoists face knocking off the veil into the air before Verta snatched it. She dived next to Blanca with both of them keeping their bodies to the floor before they slithered into each other and began rapidly spinning around each other before slamming into the middle head and into the air where they separated. Blanca slammed her tail down on the heads knocking the beast to the ground while Verta rapidly slithered around the statue wrapping her whip around it and coming down in front of the beast before pulling it down on its body killing it and extinguishing all the lanterns. The Taoist however was able to escape being crushed by jumping up and landing on the back of the statue while Blanca slithered up next to Verta. The Taoist stood up revealing his entire face and felt for his veil but found it to be missing and his lower face exposed and shown to be all wrinkled like bark while Verta chuckled and held up his veil and asked.

"So the little Taoist is actually this ugly?" She shook her head. "No wonder you wrecked the place, with all these handsome statues around" She put her hand on Blanca's shoulder. "You were jealous."

Blanca giggled as Verta threw away the veil but the Taoist just growled and crossed his wrists under his nose and in front of his face while growling. The birds on his robe glowed yellow and flew off before he threw his arms behind his back releasing a flock of glowing yellow birds who's bodies were near flat. He then thrust his arms forward and some of the birds flew forward while the others stayed back but they all released long solid wires that glowed the same as their bodies. Blanca and Verta immediately slithered back avoiding the wires as they stabbed the floor and wall before slithering separate ways with Blanca going left and Verta right. Moving their bodies in complex moves to avoid the long wires before meeting at the door and quickly slithering out with wires following. They immediately slithered up the steps with the wires trying to pierce them but only struck the stairs undersides before the girls slithered down and launched themselves into the air and came to land on the roof stopping at the edge.

They didn't get the chance to breath though as the Taoist jumped from the opposite side with his birds following him before he came to land on the roofs center. The girls immediately slithered across the edge of the roof as the wires came flying at them with Blanca stopping and leaning her head back barely avoiding it being impaled by a wire. Verta dodged the same wire and sent her whip slithering across the roof towards the Taoist who jumped back to avoid it before holding his hands out launching more wires. Verta immediately dived over the edge of the roof to avoid them before pulling herself back up while the Taoist landed as Blanca slithered up to the top and leapt up while swinging her tail to try and hit him from behind.

The Taoist ducked beneath the strike and jumped as Blanca wrapped her tail around the roofs decoration swinging her around as the Taoist came to land. She struck him with her tail sending him flying back but he had one of his birds launch a wire that he landed on before jumping back at her and throwing a punch. He missed and landed as Blanca sent out a small blast of her magic but he once again dodged before she swung at him from the side with a blade made of her magic but he leaned back avoiding it by inches. They swung their hands at each other with magic in both so when they were a foot away they clashed and held still giving Verta an opening to leap up and thrust her whip at him but she only succeeded in knocking over his hat freeing his long hair. He spun around with his arms open making both girls dive back but remain in battle stance when they landed. The Taoist just glared and raised his hand making the surrounding birds glow brightly before he slammed his hand into the roof and the birds flew right into it with their wires out. For a moment the roof shook before the birds flew out from all sides and up leaving their wires behind forming a cage which is something the girls quickly realized and jumped towards the top before it could close. Before they could reach it however the Taoist jumped in front of them with a small flock and thrust his arm forward before wires launched at them. None of the wires pierced their skin though but formed a net around them as the Taoist landed in front of them. They struggled as the Taoist let out a laugh and said.

"Escaping this net is quite futile I assure you."

Blanca held out her right hand slowly summoning the hairpin but when it floated out the Taoist grabbed it and pulled it to him before examining it. While he was distracted Blanca pulled her left arm free and grabbed the hairpin but the Taoist wouldn't let go. It was then green colored energy flowed from the Taoists body and into her making Blanca shake while the Taoist tried to free his arm before there was a bright flash and then nothing.

Meanwhile

Hiccup was using his kappa shell to travel through the forest and into the cities upper ring where the upper class and higher businesses were. Hiccup rode past all of them and made it to the pagoda ready to tell Blanca how he truly felt but when he got there he stopped and stared. The pagoda was in runes with multiple bodies of soldiers laying around on the ground as Hiccup looked around in shock. He picked up his kappa shell and put it on his head as he looked at the destruction fearing the worst happened to the demon he loved before he ran into the destruction and yelled out her name. It was then he ran across the Taoists mount and his fear only doubled before he heard a whimper and turned to see someone trapped beneath some rubble. He ran up and lifted it off them before turning them around to find the Taoist but he looked worse since his face and neck looked like what his lower face did before he fought the snake demons. He raised his hands as he said.

"Don't take my powers, don't do it, I beg you."

He whimpered as he said this before the sound of an explosion in the distance caught his attention making him climb up the rubble to see what it was. He was shocked to find a large path of crushed and overturned trees leading down to Yongzhou where a huge fire was with smoke rising as the docks glowed orange. Hiccup stared at the city in fear before dropping his kappa shell and taking off towards the city. When he got down there he found buildings destroyed and people running in fear screaming how demons were coming as another building toppled over. Hiccup heard a roar and screamed for Blanca but no answer came.

He ran to the docks where people were running from as the generals' troops readied crossbows from a tower and aimed at the water. Hiccup came to a stop when he saw one of the generals ships floating on the water with two men holding spears and another a crossbow all aimed at the water. For a moment there was silence before the ship was lifted up from the water below breaking it in two and sending the soldiers falling. When it hit the ground Hiccup looked up at what lifted the ship and saw a giant snake that rivaled the red death in height. This snake had white scales with light blue feather like scales smoothed back behind its head forming a crown, light blue cracks between its belly scales, ice blue barbs on its upper back that turned white lower down, the end of its tail looked like it had been coated in blue ice and its eyes were shining sky blue. It leaned in towards him as Hiccup asked.

"Blanca?"

They were brought out of it when a building crumbled next to them drawing their attention to it as two people ran away with a woman helping a man up. It was then the guards on the tower began firing at her making her growl and turn to them before swinging her tail knocking the tower over as she roared making the crown rise along with some flaps on the side of her head and neck. One of the soldiers fell next to the woman with the baby from before making her whimper and hold her child to her body. Blanca stared at them for a moment before looking around and realized the destruction and pain she had caused as she turned back and lowered her crown and scales. She gave one last growl before diving back into the water while Hiccup ran up to the river screaming her name and begging her to wait. Hiccup stared at the water but was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of laughter and turned to see Verta who said.

"You really did return." She slithered up some rubble and used her tail to pick up a living soldier with her back turned to him and squeezed the soldier making him go limp. "Though Blanca herself has now turned into a giant python." She chuckled and threw the soldier onto a support beam sticking out in the rubble as she looked at Blanca's hairpin in her hand. "That Taoist stole her weapon but somehow she drained her strength instead." Hiccup looked down in thought as Verta slithered down to him and grabbed his face.

"Little one, you scarcely know her, what kind of connection could you share?" She slithered around him. "You just fell for my sisters pretty face." She giggled and slithered back up to her original place on top of the rubble. "Now that she's turned to her full demon form are you still fond of her?" Hiccup clenched his fists as he glared at her.

"You think I only care about how she looks?" Before Verta could reply he yelled. "I DON'T YOU IDIOT SNAKE, I CARE ABOUT HER BECAUSE SHE HAS A KIND HEART AND IS ONE OF THE GENTLEST BEINGS I'VE MET AND IF YOU DON'T TELL ME WHERE SHE'S GOING IN THE NEXT TEN SECONDS," He raised his hands as his ice claws activated as he spoke in a voice that was low but full of rage. "Then you're going to be cold in more than just blood!" She stared at the claws with wide eyes.

"Snake catcher village." She grabbed a soldier's helmet. "You're still in the dark I take it." He raised an eyebrow. "The generals there now." She slithered up to the groaning soldier. "She's looking to settle the score."

"He's there?"

"And before long, that village will be drowned in tragedy." She stabbed the helmet into the soldiers' stomach killing him.

"I have to save those people." She giggled.

"Pick a side." With that said she slithered off while Hiccup collapsed his ice claws and hopped onto his kappa shell before taking off to snake catcher village to warn the people.

Meanwhile

The generals' fleet made its way down the river towards snake catcher village knocking over a small fishing boat in its path. As it passed the orange snake demon that attacked Hiccup watched from the reeds before slithering away to report this to its master. When it returned to the cave it returned to its demon form and told his master what happened before his master asked.

"The general's at snake catcher village."

"I saw his fleet, it's gigantic."

"My guess is he already knows where we're hiding and he's coming for us."

"How can he know where we are unless-"

"Chang-Pan is loyal to us and the green snake has the death scales so neither one could be the betrayer."

"Maybe it was the white snake, she could have joined the generals' side." The master clenched her fists and flew to a higher platform using her energy snake.

"There's clearly a traitor among you!" She swept her arm. "But we won't wait for them to attack us, though we're out numbered, we'll take our chances out on the front lines." They all growled and nodded. "All of us will attack snake catcher village, find the traitor, kill the Taoist, crush the village." They all cheered and chanted.

"FIND THE TRAITOR, KILL THE TAOIST, CRUSH THE VILLAGE!"

Back at the village

Everyone was going about their daily lives just going about their own business when Hiccup ran in and grabbed a gong before beating it getting every ones attention as he yelled.

"EVERYBODY RUN!" They all turned to him. "YOU'RE ALL IN DANGER!" He looked around. "THERE'S A GIANT PYTHON ON ITS WAY HERE!" He grabbed one of the men carrying a basket. "STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND RUN!" He pushed him off.

"What's with you?" He picked up the basket he dropped. "The walls are high here so what are you worried about?"

"SO WERE THE STONE WALLS OF YONGZHOU AND THEY CRUMBLED BENEATH THE PYTHON WHICH THEN DESTROYED THE CITY SO DROP WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING AND EVACUATE THE VILLAGE!" It was then the elderly lady walked up to him.

"You've returned to us." Hiccup turned to her.

"You have to leave now!"

"I do, then let me tidy up first."

Before Hiccup could reply black paper talismans with golden wrapping wrapped around him and lifted him up off the ground as other talismans spun around him. It was then the gate was pushed down buy a strong force before Hiccup was pulled towards the open gate and was shocked by what he found. Multiple paper talismans floating around the air, a large group of the generals men on horseback, multiple men made out of paper with wings, red eyes and ribbons off the point of their helmets carrying what looked to be eight prayer wheels with golden disks on string instead of metal and one large prayer wheel that had strings of human skulls and long purple ribbons with white constellations behind a palanquin with purple curtains being carried by four paper men. Everyone stepped aside in fear as the horsemen road in before the paper men cam in but the ones holding the prayer wheels stayed outside. The paper men flew up high and separated into rows as the palanquin was lowered to the ground before the paper men who were originally holding it flew to its sides as a soldier announced.

"THE GENERAL HAS ARRIVED!" The paper men on either side opened the curtains as the general asked.

"A giant python?" He stood up and walked out revealing a man wearing fine robes but his skin looked like bark who looked up at Hiccup smirking. "So you're the famous mortal who slayed the demon lord Akuhei." Hiccup glared at him. "Still despite this how do we know this isn't some trick to cause chaos to our land?"

"That's funny coming from the man who brought the chaos to this land to begin with." The general twisted his arm making the talismans flip him over but he bent his back to look at the people. "I came here to warn you all because unlike the general I care about the innocent." He struggled. "Yongzhou's in ruins and this place is next so you have to evacuate." They all stared at him wanting to help but their fear of what the general would do kept them back making him turn back to the general. "It's all your fault this is happening." He struggled again. "You forced these people to catch snakes to feed your power and forced Blanca to turn into a python." He just chuckled before he sensed a disturbance and turned to see birds flying in the distance making everyone fear something was coming. "She's here!"

His sleeve over his prosthetic arm vanished as his arm took its dragon claw form before Hiccup released the barbs cutting the talismans on them and freeing his arm. He then quickly used the dragons' claw to cut up the other ones and drop to the ground as he glared at the general. The general stared at him in shock while Hiccup smirked and said.

"You want to hold me you've got to do better." He then turned to the distance. "I'm going to try and stop her." He then turned to the general and smiled making the general raise an eyebrow. "But first!" He activated his boots speed mode and ran at the general giving him a punch in the stomach so hard he flew back into his palanquin. "That was for causing so much pain to the people of this land."

With that said he took out his kappa shell and took off on it towards the valley where the disturbance came from. When he got close to the place he found Blanca slithering towards the village but he stopped in front of her and picked up his kappa shell. He held his arms open stopping her making a big burst of wind hit him but he stood firm as he looked up at her and said.

"BLANCA IN YONGZHOU, YOU HAD TO FACE THOSE SOLDIERS BUT I KNOW YOU DIDN'T WANT TO HURT THEM." He then pointed ahead. "BUT THE PEOPLE IN THAT VILLAGE ARE INNOCENT, IT'S TRUE THEY CATCH SNAKES SO PLEASE DON'T TURN THE VILLAGE INTO A SECOND YONGZHOU."

She just gave a low roar before raising her body and letting out another roar with her crown spread out before she continued to slither pushing Hiccup out of the way. Hiccup quickly released his hook and launched it onto one of the giant stone columns before using it to pull him onto the top and look where Blanca was heading. His eyes landed on a clearing close to the village and he remembered that it was where they had their flight together on Toothless where the dandelions were swept up and knew he might be able to use it to jog her memory and stop her. He quickly spread his wings and jumped taking off towards the clearing hoping to get there before Blanca did. When he got there he hopped onto his kappa shell and grabbed a branch before taking off around the clearing while using the branch to scatter the dandelions. When Blanca came through she witnessed many seeds floating around the clearing as she slowly slithered in and lowered her head to them just as Hiccup flew past making her raise her head and roar. Hiccup ignored it though and flew around the clearing as Blanca struck her head against the mountainside before roaring at Hiccup again and then looked around growling. Hiccup then climbed onto a large boulder in the middle of the clearing and yelled out.

"BLANCA!" She slithered towards him after letting out a roar and growled while glaring at him but Hiccup kept a straight face. "Blanca, please just listen to what I have to say." She calmed down and raised her head. "It doesn't matter if we come from different worlds or that I'm human and your demon, I don't care if you've grown and changed forms, you're still you." She stared at him. "There's a whole world out there with all kinds of people and creatures who have different forms and if they can't accept us then so what?" He raised his hands and dropped them. "We'll just go to the ends of the earth to find the place where we belong, a demon and the man who loves her if you just give what we have a chance."

He raise his hand as she lowered her nose to it but only a second after their, skin met the moment was ruined by what looked like a giant branch made of black tar struck her in the side of her head and knocking Hiccup off the rock. He ran to her as two more came down on her body trapping her but before Hiccup could reach her one came down on him pinning him to the ground. It was then Verta slithered up one of the mountains with the hairpin in hand and saw what was happening before she yelled.

"SISTER!"

She immediately began slithering toward them dodging a few of the branches but when she jumped towards them one of them got her pinning her to the ground. The three of them struggled as the rocks at the other end of the branches frosted up before the branches slowly turned to ice working their way down as Hiccup looked around. He realized they were in the middle of a circle formed by the prayer wheels with gold sequins on boulders while the one with the skulls was in front of them on top of a cliff with the general in front of it and his paper soldiers flying above him. He walked up to the edge looking down at them as he said.

"So you were telling the truth about the python." He chuckled as Hiccup glared at him. "You're to thank for this champion." Hiccup struggled. "Without you, I could not have readied this trap."

He gestured to the prayer wheel behind him as four blades came from the bottom and fell anchoring it to the ground as the wheel spun. The general laughed as a see through light blue dome formed around them with glowing white talismans appearing on it floating up. Inside the dome it looked like night had fallen over them as a black void appeared in the center before the general said.

"You shall now be extinguished body and soul."

The ice reached the bottom of the branches before the grass around them died and the dandelions died before turning to dust, as a golden shadow seemed to come out of them making Hiccup ask.

"What's happening?" Verta replied.

"It's your essence, your spirit champion." She turned to him. "He's extinguishing us body and soul and once your soul scatters away you won't be able to be reborn again, it is gone for good." The general chuckled.

"Quite true sadly and such a waste now that I hear it." He swept his hand and the paper men made the wheel stop spinning. "I prefer having it over losing it." The dome collapsed. "Once I've perfected my dark powers and reached a higher stage of being this world shall be mine." He walked off the edge and onto the backs of some of his paper soldiers before being lowered down onto one of the nearby boulders and landed. "I hold the secret to immortality." Verta winced as the death scales acted up again before she said.

"Immortality, you brag about knowing its secret but all you're doing is stealing ours, so do it."

He smirked and thrust his arm forward making multiple paper talismans fly out of his sleeve and wrap around her before pulling her to him where he wrapped his right hand around her neck and began draining her. Blanca roared at the sight while Verta struggled before glowing red cracks appeared on the generals' skin. He threw Verta back and looked at his hands as he asked.

"What's this?" Verta fell to the ground and giggled.

"That was foolish, you absorbed the scorching death scales, it's nearly time and they're just about to explode." The general began doing complex hand gestures while Blanca focused on the hairpin that began to float as the general threw his arms out ejecting the scales before he growled.

"Not so difficult." He chuckled until the hairpin shot into his chest glowing before reaching for it to take it out but green mist like energy flowed from it and behind him as he growled and turned around while saying. "I see this is your doing witch." Standing there on a boulder was the head snake demon who had her hand out and was absorbing the energy as she struggled to say.

"You forced my hand, today we're going to settle things once and for all." Verta rose her body smiling.

"Master!"

Hiccup and Blanca raised their heads in surprise as the general held his hands around the hairpin, not touching it before it shot out of his body and into a rock pushing the head snake demon back. She growled and flapped her cape releasing the yellow energy snake and sending it towards the general who looked at the coming snake in shock. He brought his hands together forming light purple energy in between them before thrusting his arms forward releasing a tornado of paper talismans that took the form of a large black crane with red eyes and yellow lining on its wings. The crane extended its feet and scratched the head of the snake making it roar before it slammed down on the head holding on as it began pecking at the body. Seeing her master in trouble Blanca used the free end of her tail to knock a boulder at one of the others that had a prayer wheel on it knocking it over.

When it fell the branches holding them down retracted just as the crane threw the snake to the side and throwing the head snake demon into a wall. Blanca raised her body up catching the generals' attention as she let out a roar that echoed through the whole valley before she charged at the bird with Hiccup running to the hairpin knowing she could handle herself and he figured the hairpin might come in handy later on. When she reached the bird she bit down on it making it scatter into talismans again. She lunged at the general but he jumped back towards the cliff as he did some complicated hand motions while saying.

"Way of fire," The paper soldiers began flying up. "Mountainous earth."

The paper men flew towards Blanca and past her as she roared before turning into plain white paper that joined with the talismans forming a tornado above the general who let out a scream before pushing up. The tornado flew up before exploding into a giant red hooded crane made of paper that immediately attacked Blanca making her roar. Hiccup finally arrived with the hairpin in hand just in time to see the golden energy snake arrive and join Blanca in the fight but they were no matches for it. Hiccup slipped the hairpin up his sleeve and released his crystal spear before charging at the general full speed on his ox flame boots. When he was close to the boulder the general he stabbed the spear end into the ground and pole vaulted up to the general who turned to face him as he landed in front of him spear in hand but this one had glowing blue words on the staff. The general smirked at him as he summoned a spear like those is own men had into his hand and for a second they just stared at each other.

Then at the same time they charged at each other swinging their spears towards each other with the staffs of their spears striking making the sound of metal hitting metal echoed around them. For a few seconds all that happened was them pushing against each other trying to get the upper hand until Hiccup realized his spears crystal end was facing the ground. He smirked at the general confusing him before he slid the pole of his spear down stabbing the crystal into the ground right before a giant glowing green crystal burst between them throwing the general back while Hiccup stood firm as the crystal shattered.

The general glared at Hiccup before charging at him and swinging the crescent blade of his spear at Hiccup but Hiccup jumped back and swung his spear at the general as the pole extended. The general bent over backwards with the blade of the spear going over his face and missing it by mere inches before the pole shrunk back down allowing Hiccup to hold it again. The general quickly stood back up straight and stabbed his spears pointed end at Hiccups torso but Hiccup sidestepped and slammed the pole of his spear down on the end of the generals pole before he delivered a swing kick to his face. He barely dodged the spinning blades of Hiccups boot before pulling his spear back as he slammed the palm of his right hand into Hiccups chest sending him sliding back as Hiccup smirked while pointing the dragons claw at him as the hand pushed out and lowered as a pipe pushed out of the wrist as Hiccup said.

"Try this on for size!"

With that said he rapidly launched ten gronkle iron balls at the general who twisted and turned his body avoiding them while dodging the last one by bending his torso back as Hiccup swung his spear at him. This meant when he straightened up the pole of Hiccups spearhead was coming right at his head and was inches away but he raised his own spear making the poles meet just as the blade was an inch away from his skin. The general growled as he pushed the pole away and jumped up before coming down on Hiccup with the blade side of his spear but Hiccup held up his own spear pole blocking the strike as the blade forced him down to one knee. Hiccup quickly pushed back but the general was forcing him down as Hiccup noticed Verta behind him and smiled as an idea came to him. He pushed back hard making the general stumble back before he stood up while throwing the hairpin towards Verta who caught it and nodded in thanks. The general didn't notice and charged at Hiccup again swinging the blade end of his spear at Hiccups head but Hiccup bent his torso back dodging it before doing a backflip and then firing crystals at the general from the crystal end. The General spun his spear in front of him at high speeds forming a shield that knocked the crystals away but Hiccup used this as an opportunity to lunge forward and stab at the general with the spear end. The general turned to the side avoiding the blow before Hiccup used the closeness the stab allowed him to deliver a hard punch to his face with his prosthetic hand. The general stumbled back from the blow and wiped some blood off his lip as he smiled at Hiccup.

"Not bad, I'd welcome you a place at my side as one of my commanders any day." Hiccup just swung his spear at him but the general blocked it with the pole of his own spear.

"Thanks but I have a rule against joining dark power hungry psychopaths." The general smirked.

"High pay every month, bonus for every victory, immense power and three weeks vacation time a year." Hiccup raised an eyebrow since he had to admit it was good before he shook his head.

"Not interested since I already have immense power and a high paying job with as much vacation time as I want." He then smirked when he noticed something behind the general. "And besides, I don't work for dead men."

Before he could reply he grunted in pain as Verta stabbed the hairpin right into his back between the shoulder blades and kept pushing it in deeper. As this happened the paper crane that now held both Blanca and the energy snake by their necks began to bend over and screech in pain. The general pushed Hiccup backas he turned back to Verta who was pushing the pin in deeper into his back staining it with blood before he swatted her back and raised his spear to kill her. Before he could bring the spear down however green mist like energy began to flow from the hairpin making him drop his spear as he dropped to his hands and knees and turn to see the head snake demon draining his magic. The paper talismans making the crane fell apart and scattered as the general dropped to the ground holding out his hand towards the head snake demon before he dropped dead as the last of his magic left him. The head snake demon breathed heavily in pleasure as she held out her hands and licked her lips while Verta slowly pushed up smiling as Hiccup collapsed his spear and walked up to her as he said.

"Nice to see when it comes to an enemy we share we can work together to defeat them." She just nodded before Blanca dropped to the ground catching his attention before he ran to her in worry and kneeled down by her head. "Blanca!" He gently rubbed it as the head snake demon laughed while the snake demons slithered up around her as she said.

"GO, KILL THEM ALL!"

They all began slithering towards the village as Hiccup watched torn between going to protect the village and staying with an injured Blanca. She growled at him and gently nodded her head as if telling him to go protect the people to which he nodded and ran to the village. As he ran the generals forces including the remaining paper men charged at the demons before they clashed in the center of the field where the battle began. Snake demons were throwing the men off their horses with their tails, coiling around them, ripping the paper soldiers apart, throwing men into others and with those who still possessed the heads and necks of snakes eating their heads. The soldiers were giving as good as they got though doing their best to fight the demons with those still on horseback trying to trample them or using their spears to skewer them. Few of the snake demons used the chaos to slip through the battle and towards the village walls so they could begin their attack on the village one such demon with a bald head and spiked shoulder pads pushed a soldier down by his spear and threw him aside before charging at the gate that was slowly closing. Before it could close fully however he jammed the spear in the gap holding it open as he smiled down at the villagers who had been using wooden beams to push the gate closed but stopped and looked up in fear. Before he could though Hiccup launched his hand at the spear and grappled on before pulling himself up to it and doing a flip around the spear pulling it out while also delivering a kick to the demons torso throwing him back. Hiccup landed by the men and turned to them as he said.

"Secure the gate and hold strong."

They nodded and began pushing again as Hiccup ran up and helped push it closed before he saw a blue scaled snake demon with a snake head climbing over the wall. He quickly launched his arm and used it to grapple onto the walls balcony before pulling himself up onto it and charged at the snake demon. He picked up a pot full of the wine used to drive snakes off and slammed it into the demon making it shatter while pushing the snake off the wall as Hiccup released his crystal spear. He charged down the wall as another demon climbed up before he swung his spear hitting the demon with the pole of his spear throwing the demon off the wall. Hiccup then quickly summoned his ninja who had fully recovered and ordered.

"Keep the demons off the wall and protect the villagers."

They nodded and rushed to do as he ordered and while this happened in the village Verta was in none the battles but pulling the hairpin out of the generals' body. When she had it in her hand she looked down at the lifeless body before letting out a grunt of disgust and used her tail to hit it turning it over and slithered away. She slithered up to her master who was watching the battle and bowed with the hairpin in hand and said.

"Master, we've wiped our greatest enemy today." The head snake demon looked at her. "Please allow me to return your hairpin now." She offered the hairpin to the head snake demon who took it and looked at the hairpin and said.

"I allowed your sister to take this to assassinate that Taoist." She turned to Blanca laying down resting. "I never thought she'd steal another's powers or turn into a giant snake." Verta gasped and turned to Blanca before turning back to the head snake demon.

"Master, you have the wrong idea, she really tried to-" The head snake demon chuckled as she examined the pin.

"The Taoist is gone so I no longer have any use for this." She threw the hairpin away as Verta watched it fly before the head snake demon grabbed her by the neck and lifted her.

"What, master?" Golden mist like energy flowed from Verta and down the head snake demons arm.

"That Taoist did such cruel things to us but one day it was clear to me." Verta held her arm out towards Blanca.

"Sister run."

"Anything he tried to master I could to." She turned to Verta. "If he could take it then I could take your essence just as well."

"Sister!"

Blanca turned just in time to see a small blast throwing Verta out of the head snake demons grasp but now no longer a demon but a small green snake that was barely alive. Blanca raised her body glaring at the head snake demon and spread out her crown and flaps as she let out an echoing roar that pushed the head snake demon back but she never lost her balance and stood firm. The other snake demons turned at the end of the roar sensing something was happening as the head snake demon let out a short roar as the whites of her eyes turned black with black cracks forming around them and her pupils turned blood red. She unleashed her golden energy snake with the head pointing towards the village as it let out a roar while a small whirlwind of energy formed in its mouth. The snake demons were pulled towards it including one that was wrestling with Hiccup as the golden mist like energy flowed out of them. They tried to get a grip on whatever they could to avoid being pulled in while Hiccup watched in shock as the head snake demon said.

"It's fortunate that you have newly gained strength little demons, it's excellent fuel for my own." Blanca watched in horror as her allies were being drained of their essence as the energy snake pulled back. "I'm glad I had the foresight to lend it to you." The energy snake began coiling around the head snake demon. "All that is shared flows to the source." She laughed. "It all returns to me!"

The last of their essence was drained and the demons dropped to the ground as snakes as a new form covered in the glowing mist rose from where the head snake demon once stood. As the mist evaporated it revealed a giant python with black and red mixed scales, glowing red cracks on its underbelly, multiple black spikes behind its head that went down the top of its neck with horns in its chin, a rough head with spikes that went back, glowing red nostrils and small glowing red eyes. The beast looked at Blanca and roared who looked at her fallen comrades and roared back as Hiccup stared at them and worried before he jumped off the wall and began running towards them incase Blanca needed help.

The crimson snake slithered down from the mountain towards her as she slithered to meet it before it snapped its fangs at her head but Blanca dodged it and quickly coiled around her opponent's head making it roar. Blanca raised her own head above it and let out a mighty roar while spreading out her neck flaps and raising her crown before diving down to deliver the final blow. Before she struck though she was intercepted by a head identical to the other one that was on the other side of her opponents tail. The other head quickly began coiling around with the scales on its side slowly scraping off some of Blanca's own which fell to the ground where Hiccup was approaching making him dodge them. The head quickly sank its fangs into her neck just below her head making her roar in pain before slamming her into the ground and holding her down while freeing the other head. The free head leaned in towards her before it began sucking out her essence like it did with the other snake demons before there was a large shockwave and Blanca had returned to her human form but she was now covered in cuts and her kimono was ripped up in places. She looked to the side and saw the hairpin and tried reaching for it as the snake reared its head back but just as she was able to grab it the snake struck down making her curl in for the blow.

The strike never came however for when the head was about to close its jaws around her it froze before it pulled away from Blanca's curled up form roaring. This allowed her to see the branches from the generals' trap that originally held her down were now holding the snakes' coils tightly. The head looked up roaring as it struggled while Blanca turned to see Hiccup under one of the prayer wheels showing he had activated the trap to protect her. Before she could do anything else though Hiccup began running towards her as the snakes coils knocked a boulder towards her that would crush her form. She closed her eyes not wanting to see the blow coming but it never came for Hiccup jumped in front of her as he released his African club and swung it at the boulder. The boulder went flying in the air as Hiccup quickly pulled the club back into his arm and picked Blanca up bridal style and ran from the snake wanting to get her away from it. Blanca looked up at Hiccups running form as she said.

"Hiccup, she drained all of the power I had left." He smiled and took her hairpin before putting it back in her hair.

"Good!" She looked slightly hurt. "It means you can't push me away again."

She smiled before the sound of stones being thrown and a roar behind them caught their attention as they looked behind they saw the snake had knocked another boulder around with her tail. At first Hiccup thought this wouldn't mean any trouble since the boulder didn't come near them until he saw they weren't the targets when the boulder hit one of the prayer wheels knocking it over. This in turn shut down the trap freeing the snake which immediately came looked around for its targets and spotted them running towards the village before it gave chase. Seeing their master in trouble Hiccups ninja's jumped from the wall and ran to meet him but before they could do anything he shoved Blanca into winds arms and said.

"Get her back to the village and don't let anyone hurt her or so help me you're going to wish Akuhei was still your master."

They nodded and ran back to the village as Blanca held out her hand towards Hiccup who turned to face the snake charging at him. When it got to him the beast stopped as both heads looked down at him as he glared at them but they just stared as if asking him if he was serious. Hiccup looked up at the heads and said.

"You and the general have caused more than enough suffering to the people of these lands and to your own species." The beast just roared at him as he pointed at the village. "The girl I love is in that village and you've caused her more than enough pain." He lowered his arm. "I've let my chance of love twice now but this time I'm not going to let it slip through my fingers." He clenched his fists. "You're not going to hurt her or anyone in that village as long as I stand for I'll protect them if it kills me in the process." Energy began to flow from his prosthetic as the snaked coils lashed out and threw him into a boulder before he dropped to the ground and tried to stand up coughing blood before standing firm as the right head lunged at him as he yelled. "I WILL PROTECT EVERYONE!"

As soon as the words left his mouth the snakes' head reached him but before it could close its jaws around him there was a large red and gold shockwave that blasted it back and kicking up dust. From the dust two bright green shines before an arm swept creating a small whirlwind that cleared the dust to reveal what now stood where Hiccup once was, was now a man wearing a full suit of armor. This armor looked to be a mix of Hiccups golden armor and armor of the raging dragons flame which individually were quiet powerful and combined seemed to make the land tremble. (AN: The armors are in chapter 109 and 117 if you don't remember what they look like.)

The armors chest plate took the form of the fire armors chest plat but it was now gold in color with orange and red markings that looked like fire with a curled up dragon on the chest with a Red Jewel in the middle, which has the Night Fury insignia inside it spinning around. The arms and shoulder pads took the form of the Dragon claw but changed color from red to gold with reddish orange energy shining form inside the cracks of its scales, the wrists now had armbands that looked like the heads of the green death on the right and the purple death on the left wrapped around them. On the back was a long golden cape flapping in the wind while it glowed giving it the appearance of fire blowing in the wind. The boots still had three toe claws but now the right legs right had a design of the screaming death flying up the leg and ending on the thigh and the forever wing was on the left leg both on the sides that face away from each other each pattern glowing like flame. The kneepads had the spikes from the Raging dragons flame armor but now they were glowing gold but and had cracks that look like the engraving on the legs glowing like fire. The belt buckle was in the shape of a triangle with flames sticking out from the corners with one of the winter wings dragonheads at coming out of each corner. The helmet looked like a Bewilderbeasts head like the golden armor but now it has the faceplate of the rage with fangs and on its forehead was two horns curved back and pointing towards the back of the head. There were also flames designed at the corner of the lenses of the eyes surrounding them and the lenses were a green with slit pupils that seemed to burn like Hiccups eye of the dragon.

If the form it took wasn't intimidating enough then the power it seemed to release would be more than enough and the way the eyes looked at the snake demon, one could almost feel as if the look would tear the soul right out of the beast. Inside the armor Hiccup felt the power rush through his body making him feel as if he could take on the world and walk away without a scratch. In other words he felt invincible as knowledge of the armors capabilities flowed into his mind before he turned back to the snake demon that was staring at him with both heads. The beast seemed frozen as it stared at the now armored being as its cape gently fluttered in the breeze giving an appearance of a burning flame. The heads shook out of their shock before the left head lunged at him intent on devouring him but Hiccup simply jumped at the right head both dodging the blow from the left head and catching the right head by surprise. He flew through the air from that single jump and slammed his right fist into the head making a shockwave burst from under his fist and the head was thrown back by that single punch. Hiccup on the other hand flew back in a backflip and landed on both feet on one of the boulders leaving a sizable dent in the spot he landed.

The left head lunged at from him from above in order to try and catch him but he simply walked to the edge and jumped off it at speeds he seemed like a blur. This left the head to chomp down on the boulder, which got stuck in its mouth before it lifted its head up with the rock in it. Hiccup quickly jumped below the head and delivered a hard uppercut into the bottom of its jaw both breaking the jaw while also throwing the head back with its mouth now full of rubble. Hiccup jumped back and spread out his wings, which now looked as if they were made of golden red flames as the cape turned into a long burning tail. With a single flap he took off into the air as the snake looked up with both heads as Hiccup dived towards them before pulling his arms and legs in and spinning as his tail became longer. He slammed down next to the heads striking them with his tail that quickly pulled back to its original size as the heads dropped down with their scales burnt where the tail struck them. When Hiccup hit the ground however it created a giant shockwave that threw the snakes entire body back twenty feet from where it originally was. The snake slowly raised its head and roared at him showing it wasn't done yet making Hiccup sigh and shake his head from within the helmet as he asked.

"Why do they always make things so much more difficult on themselves?" It was then he looked down at the dragon headed wristbands and said. "Time to end this and give back what she stole!"

The wristbands grew and lowered around his fists forming gauntlets before he thrust the green death one forward at the now charging snake making the head launch from his arm connected by a chain. As the head flew it only grew until it was the size of the actual dragons head which sent the snake flying back before it was pulled back to his arm in its original size. Hiccup then released his wings and charged at the now dazed snake from the air landing on a boulder its body was up against with both heads facing away from him, still dazed from the blow. With them in position he raised his fists and launched the heads from them which quickly grew before going over the heads of the snake and coming down in front of them and were then pulled back forming muzzles that covered the whole head.

The snake began to struggle but metal straps shot out and wrapped around the heads trapping them within the gauntlets making their struggling meaningless. It was then the eyes of the dragons heads began to glow as the golden mist slowly flowed down the chains and into Hiccups armor that flowed with power. His wings spread out as a small golden orb formed between them and as the magic flowed into him the orb only continued to grow larger as the magic drained from the great beast. By the time he had fully drained the snake of all her power the orb was half the size of a bewilderbeasts body while the snakes body turned grey and then blew away into the wind, as it had become dust, allowing Hiccup to return his gauntlets into wrist band form. Hiccup then took the orb off his back and held it above his head as he yelled.

"NOW RETURN TO YOUR TRUE MASTERS!"

The mist flowed from the orb like a waterfall towards the snakes that still lay on the ground unconscious from what their former master had done to the magic flowed over them parts above them slowly circled like whirlpools flowing into them and making them glow before bright shockwaves exploded and they were turned back into their demon forms. The wave eventually turned into a river that flowed over the village wall and towards Blanca who was lying down on the same bed she slept on after Hiccup found her being closely watched over by the ninja. The magic slowly flowed in through the window and swirled around her lifting her from the bed as her wounds healed while her face scales grew hack and her hair once again changed color before her tail returned. There was a shockwave blast that threw the ninja back before she fell to the ground with her tail curled up. She breathed heavily as she looked around returning to her human form before her eyes widened as she whispered.

"Hiccup!"

She ran out the door with the ninjas following as she hoped against all odds the man she loved was all right while outside the snake demons were coming to grips on what's happened. They all looked to the armored figure that defeated their former master and returned their power to them instead of keeping it for him self. As the last of the wave ended Hiccup breathed heavily in his helmet as he looked at the snake demons that he'd restored because he felt there was more to them than meets the eye. They all slithered towards the boulder and stared up at him as the armor glowed brightly and seemed to turn to golden dust that flowed off Hiccups body leaving Hiccup standing there in his original attire of his grootslang coat over his regular armor and eye patch over his left eye. He let out a groan of exhaustion as he fell forward off the boulder unconscious but before he hit the ground Verta now in her demon form quickly slithered beneath him and caught his unconscious body. She looked down at his unconscious form as she whispered.

"Why did you give us back our power?" She was brought out of her thoughts by her sisters' voice crying out.

"HICCUP!" She turned to see Blanca pushing through the crowd with Hiccups ninja following close behind making her way towards them.

"Sister?" Blanca reached them and kneeled down next to them and looked down at Hiccup with tears forming in her eyes as she looked at Hiccups unconscious form in her sisters' arms before looking to Verta.

"Is he?" Verta knew what her sister was asking and looked down at Hiccup.

"He's still alive, just unconscious but that's all I can tell at this moment." She gently caressed his face.

"He returned our power to us." Verta nodded.

"But what I don't understand is why did he do that instead of just letting us die out." There were murmurs of agreement among the demons but one said.

"He must have a motive behind it, all humans are sinister and vicious to the last." There were cries of agreement but Blanca silenced them.

"NO THEY'RE NOT!" They all went silent. "THOSE WERE ALL LIES TOLD TO US BY OUR FORMER MASTER WHO JUST BETRAYED ALL OF US AND DRAINED US OF OUR ESSENCE!" There were murmurs of agreement. "IT WAS ALL LIES TO MAKE US RELY ON HER MORE SO SHE COULD CONTROL US MORE EASILY!" There were murmurs of understanding and agreement as Blanca looked down at Hiccup. "HE WAS KIND TO ME WHEN I WAS LOST EVEN AFTER FINDING OUT I WAS A DEMON." Tears began to slowly fall down her face as she looked at his face before turning to them. "HE HELPS THOSE IN NEED WITHOUT HESITATION AND PROMISED TO BE THERE FOR ME AND WOULDN'T LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO ME!" She caressed his face. "I love him." This may have been said in a voice barely above a whisper but it seemed to echo through the valley making every demon stare at her since never in the history of their kind had a demon of their kind known the taste of love and that moment was ended when Verta said.

"Sister I believe it best if we leave for now and allow everyone to recover from having our power returned to us." There were murmurs of agreement but Blanca pulled Hiccup from her sisters' lap and held his body close to her own.

"I won't leave him when he's like this." Verta watched as her sister held the human close to her body and knew she truly loved him before she sighed.

"We'll take him back to the cave where he can recover under our watch." Blanca nodded before she used her tail to raise her upper body getting the attention of the others. "WE OWE THIS HUMAN OUR LIVES AND ALTHOUGH WE ALL WISH TO KNOW WHY HE SAVED US IS A QUESTION THAT SHALL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL HE AWAKENS SO FOR NOW WE SHALL RETURN TO OUR CAVE AND WAIT TILL HE AWAKENS WHILE WE FULLY RECOVERED FROM WHAT HAPPENED!" There were murmurs of agreement as Verta turned to Blanca. "Let's go home sister."

She nodded as she picked up Hiccup and joined Verta in leading the other demons away but as she did she looked down at Hiccup and wondered if he'd be all right. She looked ahead while shaking the fearful thoughts of Hiccup not surviving out of her mind and thought positive things to keep her from breaking down. She looked down at Hiccup once more and knew that if he was all right she'd be there when he woke up she was going to let him know of her true feelings towards him. She didn't care what anyone else thought about her and him being together, she loved him and wanted to be with him no matter what and she was going to make that clear when he awakens from his slumber.

AN: Sheesh this took me a lot of time to write, my fingers actually started cramping up everyday while my eyes hurt a bit so I had to take breaks. Anyway the plot for this chapter comes from the movie 'White Snake' which I enjoyed watching and was recommended by my friend 'Red dragon 112293' and I recommend you watch it since it's pretty good and can be downloaded from Yiffy Torrents. As always I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and if you're wondering what shall happen to the demons or why Hiccup returned their power to them, all shall be answered in the next chapter so be patient and review kindly. Till next time stay safe and have a nice day.