(Germany—Dragon Hunter camp)
As Dragon Hunter sentiles were on guard for the night, there was an ominous tension in the air, it was as if something would burst out of the forest and attack them. Every rustle of bushes thanks to the night breeze, the sounds of wildlife, and the deafening silence put the hunters on edge as they manned their posts. With torches in one hand and spears in the other, the sentinels narrowed their eyes as they tried to look past the darkness, but the dense, German forests weren't helping, if anything, it only limited the hunter's ability to make out what was in front of them.
Suddenly, darts came out of nowhere and struck the hunters in the necks, causing them to hiss in pain. Believing it to be insects at first, the horrifying realization that they were under attack set in. However, they soon dropped dead, thanks to the darts being laced with the venom of Slitherwing dragons. Before any other sentinels could sound an alarm, they too were swiftly dispatched by poisoned darts and dropped dead, causing the camouflaged Saami to drag their bodies out of sight. Out of the dense forest, Hiccup, who was clad in his sleek, ebony leather armor and helmet, perched on the back of Toothless looked over his shoulder and beckoned his fellow dragon riders and the forces who decided to join him into battle to come. The Viking warriors accompanying the king were the Warborn Clan along with Viggo Grimborn.
As the Vikings of the Warborn entered the enemy camp, they silently killed Deviants and Dragon Hunters on night watch, as well as entering the tents and killing their enemies in their sleep. Despite the honor the Vikings clung to as warriors, they also knew that filth like the Deviants and the Dragon Hunters didn't deserve a warrior's death, and so they would die the same way they tried to attack the occupants of the German settlement.
Eventually, Hiccup looked to Ruffnut and Tuffnut and told them to create another large explosion, one that would maximize enemy casualties. Being the agents of chaos that they were, the siblings happily obliged, having Barf and Belch take to the sky before green gas began to spread out in thick clouds. Pulling back his forces from the impending blast radius, the Scandinavians waited as Ruff and Tuff did their work, until eventually, Tuffnut bellowed out for all to hear.
"FIRE IN THE HOLE!"
The following explosion shook the earth, blood-curdling screams filled the air as Deviants and Dragon Hunters alike stumbled out of their tents, being burned alive. Amidst the chaos, Savage burst out of his tent, and his eyes were wide with horror at what he was seeing. Coughing violently thanks to the thick smoke in the air and raging fires around him, the leader of the Deviants drew his sword and grabbed his shield before running in the mix of the chaos, trying to round up his men. Unfortunately, Savage couldn't see much thanks to the smoke and fire, however, the sudden, and fierce battle cries of the Warborn Clan could be heard, and the warriors of Jarl Stigandr breached through the thick smoke and slew anyone in their path.
"To arms!" Savage screamed at the top of his lungs. "We're under attack!"
The Warborn's best warriors, alongside Stigandr, all but cleared a way for Hiccup and the other riders to move in. Viggo, who was perched on Starscream, was hellbent on rescuing his daughter, even if it meant tearing Zlobina the Malicious to pieces. The former Dragon Hunter had his Skrill fire precise bolts of lighting at Zlobina's men, who had bows in hand and were taking up positions to shoot at the dragon riders.
"Oh, no you don't!" Robin growled as he saw Dragon Hunters manning a ballista and aiming it at Viggo and Starscream, who were dealing with advancing Deviants. "Merlin, the ballista, there!" Pointing at the deadly weapon, the Boneknapper let out an acknowledging roar before scoring a direct hit on the ballista, sending wood and charred human limbs everywhere. More Dragon Hunters advanced from behind, and with a growl, Merlin swung his club-like tail at the aggressors before bringing his tail down on one of the attackers, a sickening squelching sound filled the air as the hunter met a gruesome end.
"Hah! Not bad, bird boy!" Snotlout complimented before patting Hookfang on the side of his neck. "Let's show them what five thousand pounds of flaming muscle can do!" Hookfang seemed to grin before lighting himself on fire and wrapping his large jaws around an advancing Deviant's throat and shaking violently like a dog would with its bone before snapping their neck and tossing the dead warrior at three approaching attackers and then following up that attack with a wave of fire, burning them alive. "Snotlout! Hookfang! Oy! Oy! Oy!" The short, stocky warrior brandished his war hammer and swung at a charging Dragon Hunter, breaking their face with one, powerful swing. He then dismounted his dragon and engaged another attacker before barking out over the chaos. "So, where exactly is Alina supposed to be?!"
Viggo's astute gaze fixed on Zlobina's airship, The Huntress, and pointed to it. "There!" He then turned to Hiccup and Toothless, who were dealing with more of Savage's men. "Hiccup, your assistance would be most welcome!" Before they could move for Zlobina's airship, a menacing roar filled the air as Govan, who was perched on his Timberjack. Accompanying the massive dragon were a flock of Flame Throwers, the smaller dragons swooped down and breathed fire down on the Warborn Clan warriors.
"Whoa! Where did they come?" Fishlegs screeched, however, despite his eagerness to get out of the open and evade the incoming fire from the dragons attacking them, he was awestruck at the Flame Thrower dragons raining fire down on them.
Raising her shield to protect herself from a wave of fire, Astrid grunted at the intensity of the heat, even with her shield as well as Stormfly raising her wings to take the full brunt of the fire from Govan's Timberjack, the Queen of Vikings barked out. "That hunter and his Timberjack are going to be a problem, Hiccup!" She then had Stormfly back away as several Flame Throwers bore down on them. "And these nasty little guys aren't helping!"
"Astrid, watch out!"
Whirling around, the Viking queen gasped as a Flame Thrower was about to wrap its jaws around her neck from behind, but the dragon was blasted back by the precise shot of Skullcrusher. Breathing a sigh of relief, Astrid gave Eret a thankful nod. "Thanks," she said before looking back at Hiccup. "You and Viggo get Alina. We'll deal with the Dragon Hunters and Deviants!"
Nodding, Hiccup turned to Viggo and the two men steered their dragons towards Zlobina's airship, ready to end this once and for all. Viggo especially wanted to make Grimmel's pup know fear and suffering before she joined her father in death.
Zlobina was arming herself the moment her camp was under attack. In truth, she had expected Hiccup Haddock to come for her sooner, however, the attack against her people and allies was undoubtedly a counterattack since Savage's people failed to report back on destroying the German settlement food stores. Once she was armed and ready to fight, she exited her chambers and found her Deathgrippers waiting for her, their chittering and intimidating snarls filled the air as they followed Zlobina as though she were their alpha. She then found Linette who had Alina Grimborn in her grasp.
"Just the hostage I wanted to see."
Struggling against Linette's firm hold, the younger Grimborn gestured outside with her head. "You hear that? That's the sound of inevitability," giving her captor a grim smile, she continued. "My father is a hard man to provoke. He tempers his rage and frustration with almost inhuman patience and planning, however, your actions have unleashed the monster he tries to keep locked away."
"Shut your mouth," Linette seethed, but Zlobina held up a hand, allowing Alina to continue.
"If you kill me, you'll only make your death far more painful," the younger Grimborn's warning was followed with a smirk. "Kill me. Or don't. It doesn't matter. Either way, you're going to die in failure. Like your father." Zlobina backhanded Alina, hard. Grunting at the sting of the slap, Alina then grinned at her captor and asked sweetly. "Was it something I said?"
Ignoring her prisoner's insolence, Zlobina looked at her protege. "Take her. If she tries alerting Hiccup and Viggo of her presence, kill her," Linette nodded in understanding before dragging Alina away.
"Let me go!" The younger Grimborn snarled. Linette struggled to hold on to her mentor's hostage but managed to regain her hold of her, further angering Alina. "Let. Me. GO!" Ripping free of Linette's hold, Alina drove an elbow into her face and kicked her left knee, causing the Dragon Hunter to face plant on the floor with a loud smack.
As Alina ran for the upper deck of the ship, Zlobina unleashed her Deathgrippers on her like a pad of bloodhounds. Their roars filled the air, almost drowning out the sound of battle outside, but Alina didn't let that distract her, she needed to get topside and reach her allies before she was either recaptured or worse. She didn't even bother trying to hide from the Deathgrippers, in the time she was Zlobina's hostage, she had her dragons know her scent, so even if Alina did manage to escape, the Deathgrippers would be on her in minutes.
Running as fast as she could, Alina avoided a stream of acidic blasts before it ignited and fire began to consume portions of the airship. Luckily, the young Grimborn was able to make it to the upper deck of the airship and gulp down fresh air, however, she was soon surrounded by several Dragon Hunters with their bows trained on her. A sudden, and violently shrill roar filled the air and Alina quickly dove for cover as several bolts of lightning crashed down on the Dragon Hunters, reducing them into dust. Before the remaining hunters could return fire, multiple plasma blasts struck them in the chests, killing them, and sending their smoking corpses sprawling on the deck of the airship.
Starscream touched down on the ship, the Skrill sniffing for any further signs of danger before relaxing for the moment. Viggo slid off of his dragon and ran to his daughter. "Alina!" Running into her father's arms, the two Grimborns shared a warm, heartfelt embrace. "Oh, I feared the worst. But I am beyond relieved to see you are safe, my child." Viggo murmured against his daughter's head, kissing her hair looking into her eyes, and giving her a tender smile, one she returned.
Hiccup and Toothless joined the Grimborn, but before any further words were spoken, Zlobina's Deathgrippers had burst out of the hatch leading to the lower decks of the airship. Fire and thick clouds of smoke burst out of the hatch, allowing the pack of vicious dragons to advance. The last Deathgripper to join the others was Zlobina's albino one, the alpha of this pack, its menacing crimson eyes seemed to burn with murderous intent as it chittered and snarled, as if telling the other Deathgrippers to not allow their prey to escape.
Toothless, who was crouched low, snarled and bore his teeth at the advancing Deathgrippers. "Yeah, I hear you bud," Hiccup murmured with his shield in hand and Inferno in the other. "I forgot how much I hated these guys too, especially when they're under the control of people like Zlobina."
Viggo had Alina get behind him while he too brandished his fiery blade. "There are too many, Hiccup," looking over at Hiccup, the elder Grimborn shook his head. "Get my daughter out of here."
"What?!" Crying out in outrage, Alina grasped her father's arm. "No! I won't let you sacrifice yourself for me!"
"Good. Because I intend to kill all of you."
At the ship's helm stood Zlobina, many more of her men had taken up positions around her, with bows and crossbows in hand. For a long, tense moment, the only sounds that filled the air were the cries of battle, steel ringing against steel, roaring fires consuming the camp below, and the night wind howling.
Glaring at her enemies, Zlobina boomed out through gritted teeth. "Kill them all!"
"Take cover!"
Hiccup cried out as he raised his shield to stop several arrows from striking down Toothless, the Night Fury roared in rage before firing one plasma blast at an advancing Deathgripper, and the other fired directly at the ship's helm. As the plasma bolt found its mark, Zlobina herself and several of her men went flying and crashed down all around the ship. The Deathgrippers roared and charged, Starscream's maw glowed with lightning as he spread his wings and stood on his hind legs, and fired a concentrated bolt of lightning that split off into several bolts struck several Deathgripper in their open maws, sending them flying back and convulsing violently as lightning crawls around their bodies like insects. The alpha of the Deathgripper pack charged and met Starscream head-on with enough force to send Viggo falling off of his dragon. Before Viggo could try and rejoin his bonded dragon, he ran for cover as several Dragon Hunters who had regained their footing from the earlier attack raised their crossbows and fired multiple bolts at the elder Grimborn.
Viggo barely had time to react as the crossbow bolts sailed through the air, each one whistling ominously with deadly intent. He ducked behind a nearby crate just as the projectiles thudded into the wooden surface where he had stood just moments before, splintering it into a rain of splinters. Heart racing, the older man focused. He couldn't afford to be pinned down; not now. From his vantage point, he could see Alina helping Hiccup and Toothless fend off the seemingly relentless onslaught of Dragon Hunters, her spirit unyielding even in the face of such chaos. With a surge of adrenaline, he knew he had to protect them at all coasts. Casting a glance at Starscream, currently entangled in a fierce struggle with the alpha Deathgripper, he saw the Skrill's sleek black and violent body twisting and turning, lightning arcing from his jaws in a dazzling display of power. Starscream was not backing down, but he couldn't hold off the Deathgrippers and the hunters for long.
"Alina! Hiccup!" We must regroup!" Viggo shouted over the din of battle, hoping to be heard above the roars of dragons and the clash of battle in the background.
Sensing the urgency, Toothless launched himself into the air, circling back to provide cover for Viggo, who sprinted across the deck of Zlobina's airship and reached his daughter. Hiccup tightened his grip on Inferno, a fierce look of resolve in his eyes as he fought back the encroaching hunters, but Viggo could see his ally's fatigue beginning to set in. "Keep fighting!" Barking out over the raining battle. "We can't let them spin us down!" Hiccup urged, pushing forward as he deflected an arrow aimed at Toothless' head with his shield.
"We must cut off the head of this serpent," Viggo corrected before locking eyes on Zlobina.
Viggo's resolve hardened as he locked eyes on Zlobina, her figure standing defiantly at the helm, barking orders to her men amidst the chaos. He knew that taking her down was crucial to dismantle her forces and protect Alina and Hiccup. With a determined shout, he surged forward, dodging arrows and the swipes of Deathgrippers along the way.
"Stay close, Alina!" He urged, his voice steady despite the tumult surrounding them. Hiccup was right beside him, using his shield to block incoming projectiles as they pushed their way toward their target, a fierce intent boiling within them.
As Viggo approached the base of the helm, he steeled himself for the confrontation ahead. Zlobina, noticing his approach, sneered with contempt, signaling her remaining hunters to target him.
"Step aside, Grimborn!" She hollered, her voice cutting through the din of battle. "You think you can challenge me? You've always been nothing but a minor thorn in my side!"
"Enough talk, Zlobina!" Viggo shouted back, brandishing his fiery sword with a fierce intensity. "Let's end this once and for all!"
With a guttural roar, he leaped from the last steps, his sword aimed directly at her. Zlobina narrowly dodged the strike, her eyes flashing with surprise as he landed on the helm platform. She countered quickly, her weapon drawn, a cruelly serrated blade gleaming in the dim light.
"Foolish man!" She hissed, lunging at him in a swirl of dark fury. Their swords clashed in a bright flash that echoed like thunder, the vibrations rattling through the airship.
Viggo pressed the attack, his fire magic flaring, but Zlobina held her own, a fierce warrior in her own right. She sidestepped his blows with practiced grace, retaliating with swift strikes of her own. But with every clash, Viggo's fury only intensified. He could feel Alina and Hiccup close behind, their presence a motivating force that fueled his strength.
Meanwhile, Hiccup steered Toothless into position, ready to provide aerial support. The Night Fury's wings spread wide as he let out a fearsome roar, drawing the attention of the Deathgrippers momentarily.
"Come on, Alina! We can't let him do this alone!" Hiccup called over the fray, his own determination palpable.
"Right!" Alina yelled back, her spirit ignited. She grounded herself, preparing to unleash her own powers in support of her father.
Zlobina and Viggo continued their deadly dance, each strike met with a counter, their weapons clashing with a fierceness that mirrored the storm outside. Viggo's instincts guided him, recalling every lesson he had learned from both his battles and his dragons.
In a split-second maneuver, he feigned to the right, dodging Zlobina's thrust, and swung low, catching her off guard. The blade of his fiery sword nicked her arm, leaving a burning mark that made her hiss in pain and fury.
"Enough of this!" Zlobina spat, feeling the anger rise as she whipped her blade around for a counterattack. "You're just a relic of the past! Your kind is finished, and I will be the one to put your family in the ground!"
With a fiery determination, Viggo surged forward once more, dodging another wild swing from Zlobina. There was no time for fear; he had to focus. In that moment, all that mattered was stopping her and protecting his loved ones.
As he closed the distance, a blinding surge of energy burst forth from Alina. "Dad, now!" she shouted, channeling her magic outward, a wave of flame and light that surged toward Zlobina.
Viggo took the opening. He charged with all his might, his sword aimed straight for Zlobina's heart as the flames surrounded her, momentarily distracting her and leaving her vulnerable.
Time slowed as he brought the blade forward, every ounce of power converging into this single moment. Victory or defeat hinged upon it. The fiery light enveloped them both as Zlobina realized her peril too late.
"NO!" She screamed, a picture of rage and desperation as Viggo's blade met its mark.
As Viggo's fiery blade pierced Zlobina's upper torso, her eyes widened in shock and rage. A gasp escaped her lips, a sound twisted with agony as she felt the weight of her defeat sinking in. In one swift motion, he thrust forward, driving his sword deeper, the flames licking around her and searing her insides, illuminating the darkness and his scarred face with a fierce glow.
"You—" she stammered, struggling to find her voice amidst the pain. Her body trembled, the realization of her impending end dawning on her.
Viggo, filled with a righteous fury, leaned close, his grip tightening at the back of her head. "Die in failure," he whispered menacingly, "like your father." The last words hung between them, a vow and a condemnation.
Zlobina's eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and pain, her lips curling into a bitter smile as she then looked at Hiccup. "You think you and your people are safe now?" She laughed wickedly before hinting the approaching doom coming for him and his people. "What's coming for you is unlike anything you have faced," she spat, attempting to hold onto her defiance, even as her strength waned. "I may have failed in exacting revenge for my father's death, but I can die happy knowing that your destruction will be total s-soon... enough."
Hiccup could see the heat of her life fading, the fight slipping away as she looked through him—a fleeting vision of the chaos she stirred now fading to darkness. "Your family's legacy ends here," he replied, his voice steady as he held her gaze. "No more dragons need to fear genocide from you or your father."
With a final shuddering breath, Zlobina's body went slack against Viggo's sword, her defiance extinguished as she slumped to the ground. The chaos around them seemed to hush for a moment, a surreal silence settling in as if the airship itself paused to acknowledge the end of her reign of terror. Viggo stepped back, letting her form fall away as he withdrew his blade, the fire around it dwindling. For a moment, he stood there, catching his breath, heart pounding not just from the fight but from the culmination of ending the woman who took his daughter away from him and used her as means of exacting revenge on Hiccup for the death of Grimmel the Grisly.
The raging sounds of battle on the ground forced Viggo to turn his attention back to what was going on as he turned to Hiccup who gave him a nod, as if reading his thoughts. The remaining Deathgrippers who followed Zlobina fled, allowing Viggo to mount Starscream once again and allowing his daughter to seat herself behind him as well, as they followed Hiccup and Toothless back to the battle at hand.
Savage had had his fair share of misfortune in his lifetime, it often led to him being humiliated, cast aside, and feeling like a fool. That was why he broke his oath to Dagur and became the leader of The Deviants, because he would no longer be bond to fools who looked down on him and believed he was inferior. He was not a man to be underestimated to looked down upon, he had stored up years of anger, hatred, resentment, and grievances on many who had treated him like a fool or looked down on him as though he were an insect just waiting to be crushed. He recalled how Hauk killed Dagur the Deranged, and regretted that he himself didn't kill the former leader of the Berserkers, because Oswald's boy had treated him most harshly and cruelly while he was still a boy, yet a boy of fierce prowess as a warrior and animalistic bloodlust. He then recalled how he killed Alvin back in Paris, he had always harbored grievances with the former leader of the Outcasts because he was not seen as equal in the eyes of Alvin. He was loyal, of course, but the lumbering brute never truly saw Savage as a force to be reckoned with.
And all the fire, frustrations, and loathing he had in his heart was now being unleashed.
Having already lost many men thanks to the surprise attack, Savage found Hauk in the chaos and his best warriors as they fought back against Hiccup's allies. The fires engulfing the camp still burned hot, thick smoke clouding the air and making it difficult to breathe, but Savage wouldn't allow this to get the better of him. As he and his warriors cut down many of the Saami who were armed with blow guns and bows, Savage could make out the colors on the shields of the Viking warriors supporting Hiccup in this attack, they were the colors of the Warborn Clan, one of the oldest Viking clans in Scandinavia. Many of the warriors in Savage's ranks saw who they were facing, and there was fear in their hearts. The Warborn Clan was by no means the most powerful in the Viking world, but there were tales of their many raids throughout Midgard, their most legendary raid was when they attacked the Samurai of the Dawn Empire, which was known as the Great Raid.
As Savage withdrew his bloodied sword from a Saami archer, he cried out and ducked as a spear that would've certainly taken his head, instead struck down one of his warriors, embedding itself deep into their chest, killing them. The Warborn Valkyrie, Runa, sprinted towards Savage, her helmeted visage was menacing thanks to the raging fires surrounding them, rather than the radiant Valkyries sent by Odin to send warriors to Valhalla, instead Runa, who was drenched in sweat, covered in grime, filth, and the blood of those she's slew, appeared as a demon ready to dispatch Savage and his men to Corpse Hall.
With a roar, Savage swung his sword at Runa, but she slid underneath his strike retrieved her spear, and raised her shield in time to stop Hauk's sword and tomahawk from striking her. The animalistic roars of Helvar were heard as he hurled one of his axes and it struck one Deviant deep in the back, the Berserker then jumped on top of a dead warrior and brought his other axe down on another Deviant, burying his axe deep in their face. Blood painted Helvar's face as he laughed heartily before using his victim as a human shield to stop another Deviant's spear from piercing his belly. The Warborn Berserk dislodged his axe from his victim's face and hacked off the spearhead, rendering the weapon useless before striking down the Deviant who tried to run him through with the spear.
Hauk, who was now engaged in a heated battle with The Raider, moved away from the massive warrior as he unleashed powerful swings of axe. His bulging muscles strained with effort as he sought to cleave Savage's second in command, but despite being Raider's best efforts, Hauk was managing to stay clear of his opponent's axe. As Stigandr along with Gruffnut and a great many number of Warborn warriors joined the fray, many Deviants began to run, not just because their numbers were plummeting, but also thanks to Astrid and the other dragon riders raining fire on them from above.
"Keep the pressure on!" Astrid roared as she raised her battle axe aloft. "We have them on the run!"
Snotlout, who took his friend, and queen's words literally, urged Hookfang forward. "Five thousand pounds of flaming muscle, coming through!" He laughed boisterously as Hookfang breathed a torrent of fire at fleeing Deviants and Dragon Hunters alike. Those who weren't engulfed in Hookfang's fire were killed with strong, bone-crushing blows from Snotlout's war hammer. "Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!"
"Yeah!" Ruffnut cheered as she and Tuffnut steered Barf and Belch towards a large group of fleeing hunters. "Barf, gas me up!" As Zippleback began spewing gas, Tuffnut noticed untouched barrels of black powder, right where the hunters were fleeing. Turning to his sister, he was about to point out the destructive compound, but Ruffnut noticed it and grinned mischievously at her brother. "I see it."
Sharing his sister's grin, he then patted Belch as the hunter drew closer to the black powder. "Wait for it. Wait..." Once the hunters were close enough, he grinned. "GO!" Belch ignited the gas and the following explosion caused the Zippleback to back away from the raging heat of the blast. But as thick, black smoke, embers, and charred blood rained down on top of the twins, they then cheered. "Oh, that never gets old."
"No, it certainly doesn't, dear brother." Ruffnut agreed.
Savage, who saw many of his men fleeing, felt white-hot rage burning through his veins as he roared out. "Stand! Every man is to stand!" As he blocked and parried an opponent's sword, he struck them down in the back before screaming. "Cowards, all of you!" He then turned sharply to his remaining warriors, who were on the brink of running themselves. "Stand your ground, and fight!" He was then knocked off his feet when a metallic barb came out of nowhere and embedded itself deep into his shoulder. Snarling in agony, he struggled to pull the barb out of his shoulder before looking to see his attacker. "Heather!" He sneered.
Heather, perched on Windshear, and with her double-bladed axe in hand, lowered her hood and gave the Deviant's leader a murderous glare. "Savage," pointing her axe at the man who was responsible for Dagur's death, she gave her Razorwhip a signal command. "Blast him!" Savage managed to roll away from the dragon's blast of fire and then got to his feet and quickly grabbed a shield to protect himself from a second blast of fire, the impact of the attack sent Savage flying and crashing onto the gore-slicked battlefield.
Coughing violently and reaching for his sword, Savage's left hand was then impaled by a stinger, one of three. His cry of pain was followed by a loud curse as he cradled his hand while looking up at Dagger's former wife, now one of Hiccup's Fair Queens, Mala, who was perched on Sleuthed, the Triple Stryke snarling menacingly at Savage, brandishing its rows of sharp teeth snapping one of its pincers at him. "Now you die, you disgusting worm," Mala said, but before she ordered Sleuther to kill Savage, a large net had landed on top of them, causing the Triple Strike to roar in surprise and outrage.
"Well well well, if it isn't Dagur's former wife, now one of Hiccup Haddock's many whores," Hauk mocked with a smug grin as he, the remaining Dragon Hunters, and Deviants, prepared themselves to leave this place. "I wish I could take my time killing you just like I did to your late husband," Hauk's words caused Mala to snarl in both anger and hatred as he continued, "but I will have to reserve that pleasure for the next time we meet."
"There won't be a next time, you murdering sack of yak dung!"
Astrid, perched on Stormfly, landed behind the remaining occupants of the burning camp, along with the other dragon riders. Stigandr and the rest of the Warborn were picking off any stragglers or dealing with those who fled for their lives, leaving Savage and Hauk, along with what little men under their command to face the wrath of their enemies.
The Deviant's leader eventually stood to his feet, his left hand swollen with the venom that Sleuther had injected into his body. Grabbing his sword, he snarled in pain while turning to Hauk and the rest of his men. "Glory or Valhalla!" The Deviants roared as they followed their leader into battle while the Dragon Hunters used their crossbows and bows to keep the dragon riders back. Savage had his sights set on Mala, who was cutting furiously at the net around her, and Sleuther with her sword. "DIE!" Savage roared as he was about to bring his sword down on Mala. But before he could bring his sword down, a black blur smacked his sword out of his good hand before proceeding to strike him across the face, blood and spittle flying out of the man's mouth as he collapsed to the ground once again.
"Nice job, bud!" Hiccup praised Toothless, who moved fast as lightning to incapacitate Savage for the time being before patting his dragon's neck. "Let's deal with the hunters now." With a nod, Toothless moved like a blur as he and Hiccup both dealt with the hunters who were frustrating Astrid and the other riders with their bows.
Hauk, before he could give his fellow Deviants orders, watched in horror as multiple bolts of lightning struck them down with such intensity that they were reduced to dust in seconds. Looking to the heavens, he could see Viggo and Alina Grimborn on top of Starscream, who roared menacingly before firing a bolt of lightning in his direction, forcing Hauk to dive away and run for cover. He didn't get far, thanks to several metallic barbs embedding into his back, causing the Berserker traitor to let out a choked gasp and fall to his knees. He felt hot breath on his face as he looked into the eyes of Windshear, bearing her teeth at him. Before he could retaliate against the dragon, his dominant arm was hacked clean off by Heather from behind. Roaring in agony as blood spewed out of the stump where his arm had previously been, he was about to curse Heather, but she buried her axe deep into his face, silencing him forever. With great effort, she pried her axe out of Hauk's face, and as blood spewed out of the wound where her axe had struck and gore trickled down his wound, her brother's killer fell face-first to the ground. Heather spat on Hauk's head, cursing him before leaving him to become a meal for the birds and other wild animals of the forest.
As Savage regained himself and rose to his feet, he took in the sight of fire burning away the camp he shared with Zlobina and her people, the cold hard reality that he had lost everything crashed down on him like a tidal wave. He had made a tribe out of nothing and had won both battles and wealth, but now he had nothing, and it was all thanks to Hiccup Haddock III. Setting his eyes on the King of Vikings, Savage picked up a crossbow and aimed, but a sharp pain slashed across his belly, causing him to cry out in pain look down, and let out a horrified gasp as the deep cut he received spilled his guts open. As Savage crumpled to his knees, clutching his heavily bleeding gut, trying to keep his guts in place, he looked up at the blazing green eyes of both Heather and Mala, he then began laughing manically. "Go ahead, kill me," reaching for his sword and holding it firmly, he extended his arms in invitation. "I do not fear death--"
Heather hacked his sword hand clean off with her axe, Savage cried out in agony as he now clutched his heavily bleeding stump and looked up at his former lord's sister with horror in his eyes. "You are unworthy of feasting with the gods and the great heroes of our people in Valhalla, Oath Breaker," as she turned to walk away, she gave the man who ordered Dagur's death a hateful glare. "You die as a Skogarmaor, a traitor, and an oath breaker." Before Savage could attempt to stab Heather in the back, Mala drove her Nodachi sword through his chest, piercing his sword. Releasing a choked gasp, Savage looked into Mala's eyes, which were cold, and uncaring towards him before withdrawing her blade from his chest, allowing him to fall back, dead.
With their victory over their enemies secured, Hiccup looked to his wife, lovers, friends, and those loyal to him, giving them all a firm nod. "We're done here." With that said, they left the smoldering camp behind with a second thought. As the Vikings and their Saami allies returned to the settlement, the forest enveloped them in darkness that was alive with the sounds of the night creatures stirring. It was a stark yet tantalizing contrast to the fiery chaos they had left behind.
Unknown to the retreating Scandinavians, they failed to see Ulfbjorn the Undefeated and his Dashing Grispstabber, Sting, watched the entire battle from the safety of a high cliff overlooking the former camp of Zlobina the Malicious. Narrowing his eyes at the retreating forms of his enemies, Ulfbjorn urged Sting to take to the sky. They would not follow Hiccup and his people back to their settlement, instead, he would be going to the Kingdom of Corona and see if any of the Christians there harbored any resentment towards the Vikings settling in their kingdom. If he could find any Christians who meant to inflict harm on Hiccup's people and the settlement he had established here, it would allow his father and Drago to arrive without the occupants of this settlement, both Scandinavians and dragons to offer resistance to the imminent invasion force that would be arriving very soon.
A/N: These next several chapters are going to be without much smut because I need to further progress the story and ultimately wrap this story up. We're getting close to the end here, and I'm looking forward to wrapping this story up!