Chapter Six: Earn Your Iron/Mor'du's Siege

Hiccup was a bit uncomfortable. As everyone was waiting for the screen to show more about his future adventure, he can feel the waves of concern radiating off many, especially from his friends and his father.

Merida was fiddling with the string of her bow while Rapunzel lightly pulled strains of her hair. Jack was now flipping a coin made of ice and Toothless was fidgeting restlessly in his stone slab seat.

The camera blinks slowly in Hiccup's POV, as he slowly wakes up, his vision blurry as bright lights shone in his vision. The fuzzy image of his father's face didn't hide his determination as he carried his son in his arms.

Stoick breathed a sigh of relief. He's okay. He's going to be okay.

"Is he gonna be alright?" Came a muffled feminine voice from beside him. Merida. His vision went black once more. It opened once more to show the wooden ceiling and the blurred out faces of his friends and family standing over him.

"Come on, Hiccup. Wake up." Came to a male voice this time, with the same worried tone. Jack.

Hiccup smiled softly. They do care.

Then the screen cuts to Hiccup's sleeping face, his head resting on a pillow. Toothless face leans over him, sniffing softly before pulling back, whining and grumbling impatiently. Hiccup stirs, before slowly opening his eyes. Toothless rumbles, wiggling excitingly as he begins nudging his face. Hiccup smiles tiredly.

"Someone was clearly getting impatient." Jack nudged Hiccup brotherly, making him giggle. Deep down, Jack was just glad that Hiccup was going to be okay.

"Hey, Toothless." Hiccup's hand reach out to his face as Toothless continues to nudge him, "I'm happy to see you to bud." the boy giggles, before Toothless accidentally steps on his groin. He bolts upright with a yelp, before noticing his surroundings.

Every guy in the room winched at the pain that no honest man should ever endure. The girls just giggled.

"I'm in my old house." he starts slowly before he looks over Toothless, who continues to wiggle in his place like an energetic puppy. "YOU'RE in my old house!" Toothless doesn't seem to notice his rising panic, as he proceeds to leap around the small confines of the hut, knocking down numbers of decor and furniture, before eventually jumping up onto the rafters, totally ignoring Hiccup's protest.

Everyone was losing it as the Offspring of Lightning and Death acted like a happy puppy dog, the Berkians especially.

They truly were wrong about dragons. They were just like them. They could think. They could feel. They could lose or win.

"Oh, come on!" Hiccup throws the cover off but immediately falls over, a week of not using his legs making them feel even more twig-like and breakable. The Night Fury jumped down and nudges under Hiccup's body, helping him stand and walk over to the door.

"Thanks, bud."

They reach the door at their own pace. Hiccup opens it up...

Only to immediately close it when a Monstrous Nightmare roars in his direction.

Everyone jumped.

"Dragon raid? And in the middle of the day? What was going on?" Fishlegs inquired.

"Yeah! Didn't the whole 'dragons and humans are enemies' thing blow over after the island?" Snotlout finished off.

"Toothless. Stay here." The Night Fury rolled his eyes. "Says the human who just woke up from a coma to the Night Fury Dragon." the subtitles underneath him say (cue giggles from the audience) before Hiccup opens the door once more to reveal the Nightmare to be Hookfang, with Snotlout riding his back.

"C'mon! Let's go!" Snotlout instructed, before zooming off with many different riders of his tail.

Hiccup could only look around in bewilderment at the amazing vista he was seeing: Vikings and dragons mill about by the dozen, basking on the rooftops, weaving along the plaza. No one appeared upset. There was not a sword or a stray claw or tooth insight. Under the framework of a massive barn, a Nadder blasts her fire onto a metal brace, stepping back to let the male Viking beside her hammer it into shape. Not too far away, a Gronckle lands, carrying a tree trunk in his mouth, showing a Viking what he's found, achieving a pat on the head. Another Viking places a soothing balm on a Zippleback's scarred leg, receiving licks from both heads as thanks.

Hiccup looked just as bewildered as his future counterpart before his face split into the biggest grin he could muster.

He did it.

HE ACTUALLY DID IT!

Stoick and Valka were quite surprised themselves.

Hiccup could only stand dumbfounded. "I knew it. I'm dead." Stoick chuckled as he stepped into the shot, patting his son's shoulder.

"No, but you gave it your best shot." Stoick's smile was warm as he gently ushered Hiccup forward, gesturing to all the work that had been done. "What'd you think?"

"I... I don't have the words."

"I really don't."

"HICCUP!"

The boy jumped before an overexcited blonde girl bowled him over. Rapunzel hugged him tightly as Merida and Jack came up beside them and joined the hug. The camera cuts to Hiccup's face, turning blissful as he returned the embraces.

Hiccup smiled as the group huddled in closer around him before Toothless picked them all up one-by-one and gathered them on his slab and curled up around them like the big adorable pussy cat he is. The four laughed as they leaned back against the Night Fury's warm belly. Pascal joined them, resting on Rapunzel's shoulder and squeak-sighing happily as he snuggled in.

The Guardians and parents all watched the four come together with soft smiles on their faces. Pitch and his cohorts could only sneer at the 'unpleasant' developments. Pitch needed to think of something to tear them apart. And fast.

"Ow, ow ow! OW!" Hiccup moaned as Rapunzel squeezed tighter before she finally let go, wiping away the tears on her face. "Sorry, I'm just... really glad that you are okay." Hiccup smiled. Jack clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You nearly scared us half to death." "Don't make a habit out of it." Hiccup chuckled, before frowning in confusion.

"How long was I out?"

"Three days."

"THREE DAYS!?" Hiccup shouted, before holding his head in pain. He still felt quite dizzy.

Stoick shifted. His son went into a coma for three days. What happens when the next time he's in a battle, he's not so lucky? He's heard stories of Viking warriors having to be... put down because they wouldn't wake up for years.

"Aye. And in those three days, we were able to catch everyone up on this situation with this 'Pitch Black' character. We are gathering as many supplies and making as many weapons as they can to prepare. Berk will stand with you in the upcoming battle." at the mention of a battle, Hiccup looked disheartened.

"I thought that I could convince Furious to stop. To see a better path other than war. But..." Stoick placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hiccup. There are just some minds that can't be changed. But don't let that stop you from trying to change the world for the better. Look at what you and your friends have done." Stoick once again gestured to the Vikings and the Dragons, specifically Astrid and the others with their dragons, just laughing, talking, working together as they groom a vegetable field with the help of their new dragon friends.

Astrid felt herself smile at the sight before she felt a hot gush of air breath down her neck. Spinning around, she came face to face with the Deadly Nadder. The wyvern dragon chatter at her peacefully and Astrid smiled, reaching out to gently stroke her beak.

"WHOA!"

Snotlout's exclaims makes her turn around to see Snotlout being brotherly nudged by the Nightmare while the Zippleback circled their necks around the twins and the Gronckle allowed herself to be scratched under the chin by Fishlegs.

Astrid looks over to Hiccup, who notices her looks and they smile, before blushing and turning away. Jack, of course, didn't waste the opportunity to tease the younger boy. And a couple of pixies even fluttered around Astrid to tease her.

"A chief protects his own, son. And that's certainly what you did." Hiccup smiles and the two embraces, before the shot fades out to show the docks, with the Vikings helping the four stock up on supplies. Toothless sniffed one crate before walking off and laying down on the ship's poop deck. Jack was high fiving some children before flying off and landing on the ship. Rapunzel was waving goodbyes whilst Merida was helping move supply boxes onto the ship. Hiccup was still on the dock having one last hug goodbye with Stoick.

"Be careful, will ya?"

"Of course. You know me." Gobber walked up to them.

"Aye, that I do. And you don't exactly have the biggest track record when it concerns your safety."

"Tell us something we don't know!" Merida chimed in as she walked by with a woven basket, no doubt filled with fish, giving how she scrunched up her nose at the smell. The two men laughed, before Stoick took hold of Hiccup's hand, clutching tightly. "I'm proud to call you my son."

Hiccup could only sit there dumbfounded. He finally said. He finally said the words that he waits so many years to hear. Hiccup felt tears start to come to his eyes and Rapunzel wipes them away tenderly, making him smile. Jack nudged shoulders with him and they turned their attention to the screen.

Hiccup looked completely off-guard and bewildered before he smiled tearfully and hugged him once more. "Thanks, dad."

He turned away and boarded the ship. Just then, Gobber had a look of realization.

"Oh! Almost forgot. Some of the Gronckles ate quite a lot of rocks and barfed up some lava in my shop. I got tired of waiting for it to cool so I did what I did best and hammered it down. Next thing you know, bing, bang, boom! I made these beauties." Gobber dropped a large chest in front of the four and opened it to reveal an assortment of armour and weaponry. Some of the armour was differently coloured, but one thing the steal had in common was how shiny they all were, gleaming in the sunlight. Merida was the first to reach in and examined a blade.

Hiccup, Merida and Astrid leaned in with special interest, as did every other person in the room that had an interest in fine weaponry.

"They are beauties. But it's too light. It would never hold in battle." Gobber wagged a finger, taking out an old ordinary sword. "Come on. Give it a whirl." Merida steadied herself before swinging with all her might against Gobber's, jaws dropping as the sword cut clean through Gobber's like butter.

"Whoa!" Hiccup took the blade out of the starstruck princess's hands, fingering the tip. "And this was made out of Gronckle lava?" Gobber nodded, looking quite proud of himself.

"Calling it Gronckle Iron. What do ya think?"

"I think we gotta figure out what those Gronckles ate," Jack commented and the dragon rider nodded, looking fascinated by the metal.

"It's amazing!" Hiccup exclaimed, before looking at his mentor with a fond expression. "You taught me so much. You've been there since the beginning. It may appear you haven't done much, but you were there. And that was more than enough for me."

Gobber smiled tenderly at his godson and hugged him tightly.

The scene changes to the four wavings Berk goodbye as they sail off into the horizon, their goodbyes being returned in kind by Stoick, Gobber and the Viking teens. Toothless then shoots a plasma blast into the sky and all the dragons on Berk follow suit, causing a spectacular firework effect.

Fade out to several hours later and the four were looking over their new weaponry. Hiccup was balancing an ornate shield on his arm and swinging a Gronckle Iron dagger around. Jack was putting on a Gronckle Iron gauntlet, flexing his fingers to test the size. Rapunzel pulled out two whips which were a mesh of fabric and Gronckle Iron, the tips edged with a fine point. And Merida refitted her arrows with the Gronckle Iron arrowheads and put on a norman helmet, her eyes glaring determent at the camera.

The four of them smiled at each other before the lot of them realized something: They don't know how to fight. Sure Hiccup can ride a dragon and lead them, Merida is well trained in bow, arrow and sword. Rapunzel and Jack, on the other hand, could only hold off a handfull of people without being swarmed. And even then, they can't expect to fight off a legion of nightmare-ish creatures, monsters from ages past, and a rebel dragon army. They were gonna need some serious training if they were gonna hope to pull it off, let alone survive.

Jack looks up from his gauntlet to see Hiccup staring off into the horizon. Frowning in concern, Jack flew up and approached him. "You okay, buddy?" Hiccup tilted his head to indicate that he heard him but didn't turn around.

"All that's happened... at Dragon Island. It's all coming back to me. And it's confirmed for me that more than ever... I'm not the chief my father wanted me to be. And I'm not the freedom fighter my mom needed me to be. And... I'm not the peacekeeper I thought I was. I don't know... what I am." Jack frowned, not liking this negative deprecation that the boy was inflicting on himself. But in a way, he can understand. Jack knows nothing about where he came from.

"You're more." Hiccup looked up at him curiously. "Just something that a friend of mine told me whenever I had doubts. Every day I would ask myself 'How could I know who I am without knowing who I was?' But she would always tell me that I was more. At first, I thought it was just 'friend talk' but then she explained to me; that the next generation was never one parent or the other. They were both. They were separate. They were more. She was trying to tell me that I would always be worth something because I was me. Just how you are you, Hic." Hiccup remained silent, before sighing.

North nodded, impressed with the wisdom and loyalty Jack showed to Hiccup and the girls. Even Bunny couldn't deny that Jack was a good kid. And a powerful one at that as well, if he could cause a massive blizzard on a warm Sunday morning.

"I, uh, I was always so afraid of becoming my parents. Mostly because I thought I never could. How do you become someone that great, that brave, that... selfless? I guess you can only try." Hiccup finished his monologue and turned around to see Merida and Rapunzel have joined them.

Stoick and Valka watched their son, proud of the leader he was to become. Like the Dragon Whisperers before him, he will unite man and dragons. And hopefully, it will last.

"We must protect our own. Our people. We can't just stand by and do nothing while Pitch Black abuses his power on humans and other creatures. We're fighting. Or, at least, I am. You guys don't have to follow-"

"Are ya' kidding me!" Merida interrupted. "You think I'm just gonna be like those other princesses that sit in their castle bedrooms waiting for the war to be over? Fat chance of that!" Hiccup laughed, before looking to the Frost Spirit.

Fergus and Elinor exchanged glances. It was no question that Elinor had reservations about her daughter going to war. But she knows first hand how capable Merida is and considering the friends she has, Elinor doesn't have to worry too much about her daughter's safety. An unspoken agreement went between the DunBroch royals and they just held each other as they watched their daughter.

"Jack?"

"I just gave a big motivational speech and you think I'm gonna ditch you guys? Please! You'd guys be lost without me!" Merida groaned and Rapunzel giggled, turning Hiccup's attention to her.

The Guardians smiled proudly. It may take him a long time, but he'll make a good guardian.

"Rapunzel, if you want to be with your mother, me and Toothless can drop you off." Rapunzel shook her head.

"No. This world is not the terrifying nightmare she claimed it to be and the people are not horrible and selfish. I watch a Viking, who Mother claimed to be a savage, brutal raider, free a dragon, which was said to be monstrous firebreathing lizards, from its chains as it was close to drowning. And not going to watch from my tower as this beautiful world is swallowed up by darkness. Count me in!"

While others smiled at the blonde's commitment to her friends and their cause, Gothel was absolutely seething. If looks could kill, the four would have dropped dead, along with the Night Fury. 18 years of raising this ungrateful child. After abandoning her own daughter just so that she could have eternal youth and beauty, this was what she got. Gothel needed to find a way to fix this and NOW!

The group smiled at each other as Toothless came up behind Hiccup and nudged him, making him chuckle. They then heard a clatter and see Pascal trying to use his tongue and mouth to drag a small knife towards them. Rapunzel smiled warmly and picked him up, tenderly picking up the knife and putting it down.

"So what do you say, guy? Ready to save the world?" Jack put his hand forward. The group smiled and joined in, throwing their hand in the centre. Toothless also placed his paw in, and Pascal crawled down Rapunzel's arm to do the same.

"Well, this is all very beautiful." They turned around when Bunny spoke, and the camera moved slightly to show that the Guardians were there on the deck and watching the whole time. "But if you are serious of facing Pitch head-on, your gonna at least train."

The kids exchanged looks. How will this go?

The present kids exchanged the same looks.

The camera cuts to Bunny pacing in front of the lined-up teenagers, arms behind his back like a commanding officer.

"Okay, first, least start with the weapons you're comfortable with. Frostbite?"

"Staff," Jack answered, having humour in playing solider.

"Redhead?"

"Bow and Arrow. And I'm not bad with a sword either."

"That'll come in handy. Shrimpy?"

"Sword and shield. And did you just seriously called me 'Shrimpy'?" Bunny ignored him and moved on.

"Blondie?" Rapunzel hesitated until Bunny stared at her with a stern glare, and she slowly raised her pan.

"I, uh... I have a pan?"

Many chuckled as Rapunzel blushed lightly, hiding in her hair.

Bunny stared and facepalmed.

"We've got a long way to go."

The screen cut to Bunny sitting down in a rather relaxing position on a barrel, as he carved his boomerangs. The soundtrack of 'The Training' of 'Mirror Mirror' begins to play as the camera shows Hiccup balanced himself on a barrel laid out on its side as the others and Toothless watched.

"People think you can't be tall if you're short. That you can't be strong if your not."

Screen changes to Rapunzel with her new whips as she squares off against Sandy. Bunny continues speaking off-screen, "A weakness is only a weakness if you think of it that way." he told them, as North pulled back a loaded slingshot and fired at some pots. Rapunzel squeaked as it shattered.

"No offence, Gobber. But Bunny is a bit of a better teacher than you." Hiccup winched as Gobber made sounds of protest.

Bunny smirked.

Then it shows Bunny with Jack inside the ship's cabin as he places an egg underneath one of three identical cups. He starts spinning them around as Jack tries to keep track of the one with the egg. "Never, under any circumstances, give up the high ground." The screen cuts to Bunny for a second at Hiccup's balance scene, pointing his boomerang at him sternly.

The kids nodded, taking in every word future Bunny was saying.

Cuts back to Jack, who just pointed at one, only to see it empty. It then cuts to a close up of Merida putting on a Gronckle Iron boot.

Jack's pout was short-lived as everyone looked on at the scene of Merida trying on her armour.

Then it cuts to Hiccup and Merida sparring against Tooth, who was wielding two wooden swords with expertise, easily overpowering them. Tooth knocks Merida's wooden sword to the ground and then held her other at Hiccup's throat.

Hiccup gulped at how close that sword was to his neck. Imagine if that was steel instead of wood.

"Before you even draw your sword, you must make an impression on your enemy. If the enemy is deceived by the way you look, then the battle is half won."

Then it shows Rapunzel wrestling with Toothless, but is easily pinned down. Toothless laughs. Rapunzel swats his muzzle, giggling.

Toothless gives Rapunzel a tiny lick on the cheek, making Hiccup raise an eyebrow.

"How come with her, you give her tiny licks, but with me, I'm stuck at the waterhole trying to wash the slobber out?"

"Because he likes you more!" Rapunzel chirped, and Toothless nodded, giving a deadpan Hiccup a BIG lick from his chin to his hair, slicking it upright. Jack and the others could only laugh as Hiccup wiped his face and flicked the slobber on Toothless, who glared before cleaning himself off like a cat.

Cuts to the Cup Egg scene and Jack is pressing his fingers against the sides of his forehead, concentrating. Then it now shows Jack putting on a spiked leather gauntlet.

"People will think of you as kids. They won't expect you to strike hard. They won't expect you to fight dirty."

Cuts to Merida now sparring with Toothless, but she was easily defeated. Sandy held up signs, showing Toothless's and Merida's points. Toothless: 10, Merida: 0.

Merida pouted as Toothless put on his best smug look.

"Use that to your advantage."

Cuts into a view more scenes. Bunny's Cup-Egg. Sparring with Tooth and Sandy. Wrestling with Toothless. Then it shows Rapunzel, with the help of the Tooth Pixies and the Elves were tying her hair into a similar braid that she had back at the Lantern Festival.

"Your weapon isn't your only friend. The environment can be an ally, too."

Shows Rapunzel and Sandy sparring, this time, using whips. Sandy dodged as the blonde made a sorry excuse to charge and ran into the currently vacant Balance barrel. Sandy smiled mischievously and pulled the whip back slightly, before releasing, spanking her. She squeaked, as Sandy let out silent chuckles.

Rapunzel blushed and grumbled, as Sandy snickered. But other then that, Rapunzel looked on in interest. Could she be able to fight like that?

Then it shows Hiccup and Tooth fighting with single swords, but Tooth flipped Hiccup over her head and he landed on his back with a thud. Baby Tooth fluttered over his head and twittered. Hiccup gave her a deadpan stare.

"Deception on the battlefield isn't just an option."

Shows Merida still wrestling with Toothless, who laughed a little at the Redhead's attempts.

"Oftentimes, it's the difference between victory... and defeat."

Finally, the armour montages end with Hiccup trying on a helmet that bared an eery likeness to a Night Fury, his eyes flickering up and glaring with determination at the camera. Now it shows them in their new attire.

Gone was the white baggy shirt and Jack were now fitted with a light blue sleeveless tailcoat tunic with a long-sleeved grey undershirt and a lighter sash tied around his waist and trailing behind him. Bandages were wrapped around his hands for grip and strapped to his back was a leather sheath for the staff. Jack pulled up the hood of his tunic and spun himself around in the mirror. His attire was built for agility and stealth. Perfect for flying and defensive maneuvers. He then took out his staff and concentrated, before ice began to form at the bottom of the staff and shape into a spearhead. Jack smirked, spinning his staff like a baton before melting the ice and placing it into the sheath on his back.

Jack nodded in approval at his new look, not noticing Tooth's googly eyes, or the Pixies fainting. The Guardians looked very impressed by his new appearance, no doubt tweaked by Hiccup and North to suit his abilities.

Hiccup's armour made him look more dragon than man. No doubt made with Toothless' scales, his armour was pitch black with scales embedded into the armour with splashes of red leather on the sides of his stomach. was wearing a brown leather vest with shoulder pads, the chest design resembling Dragon Scales over a light red long sleeve and wearing a wrist band on one hand and a leather glove with claws on the other. A belt around his waste for holding small things and his sword, and a sash over his shoulder to hold a shield made of Gronckle Iron, the Night Fury symbol on the front. Mud brown pants and brown leather boots. Under his arm was a helmet that resembled a Dragon, fit with some of Toothless's scales and even a small dorsal fin design. Designed for camouflage and close combat, with the knick and crannies designed to adapt to his environment. He takes out an arrow and takes out his shield, which adjusts and shifts into a crossbow. He holsters the arrow, pulls back and fire, hitting a bullseye.

Hiccup smiled at the armour and especially liked the helmet and shield. He has to make the blueprints for that; immediately! Stoick and Valka looked astonished and excited beyond belief at just how powerful Hiccup looked in his armour. Astrid especially can't help but admire how Hiccup looked in his armour. He looked quite roughish.

Merida looked more like a warrior than a princess. She was chainmail underneath a leather vest, leg guards and knee-high boots with tan leggings. Wearing chainmail sleeves underneath leather gauntlets and a belt with pouches and her new Gronckle Iron sword buckled to her side. And around her neck was a black cape with a hood, covered in thick bear fur reach to her lower back. Her bow had brand new carvings on there. Bears, Dragons, Snowflakes and Flowers. She raised said bow and took out three arrows, stretching the string back before firing arrow upon arrow and hitting the mast, her aim sure and true every time. Her attire was made for combat but made for her to be quick and durable. She picks up her norman and it clicks onto her head, giving a sly smile.

Merida smirked. Now that was her kind of style. Fergus and the triplets looked amazed by Merida's new look before the triplets rushed over to Merida and corraled around her legs excitedly. Fergus merely sat up in his chair and shouted at the top of his lungs "THAT'S MY GIRL!". Elinor just smiled, small tears of worry reaching her eyes before she composed herself. She must be strong. She has to be. Her Merida.

Rapunzel looked like a combination of beautiful and formidable. Her outfit consists of a pink blouse with rolled-up sleeves under a small, black, button-up, leather vest, a leather belt, and shin-length, pink and maroon skirt. Her hair now has a little pink bird pin in next to her ear. Her hair also has a braid and is tied up in magenta beads. On her feet, she wore white flat shoes, and a silver-coloured belt around her waist, with two small buckles on each side. Designs to hold her whips. And hanging on the back of her belt was her pan, just in case, for closeup combat. Speaking of the said pan, she was spinning it around on her finger as she checked herself out in the mirror, only to bang it against her head, making her groan and giggle.

Rapunzel's eyes were wide with excitement, not even minding her small embarrassment. She looked amazing! The Coronians looked amazed at her new look. Varian kept looking between the screen and the girl with magic hair. Queen Arianna especially looked proud as the girl took her choices into her own hands. Gothel just continued to look pissed.

Then shows the kids succeeding in their tasks. Jack found the Cup-Egg and relished at the chocolate delight. Everyone laughed as Bunny stared, dumbstruck before he smirked. Then it showed Merida and Hiccup defeat Tooth in the spar. She smiled. Rapunzel whipped at Sandy, dodging each attack, before grabbing his arm and flinging him aside. After catching himself from spinning, he turned to her and grinned, clapping. She blushed.

The kids' parents(even the unknowing ones) smiled. They were doing it!

Then it cuts to Hiccup on the balance barrel, smirking. Before an egg hit his shoulder, yolk exploding everywhere. He fell on his back and glared at Jack, but he shook his head and pointed his staff at Bunny, who was standing on the poop deck and smirking. He shrugged.

Jack hummed. So the sour egg did have a sense of humour.

Jack made a small snow pile and the kids grabbed some snowballs and started throwing them at Bunny, who dodged them all with grace.

Too bad he didn't notice the Night Fury sneaking up behind him.

Toothless roared, scaring the Hope Guardian and he fell from his perch and into the snow pile.

The kids laughed and Toothless let out a warble of his own. Bunny jumped out of the pile, shaking himself and sending snow flying into the air. He looked at the kids around him and smiled.

Maybe this could work.

The audience laughed and Toothless took the chance to look prideful.

Upon the Crow's nest, Jack was seated upon the tip of the mast, keeping an eye out before he spotted land. Hooking his staff around the mast, he leaned outward to the deck.

"Land ho!" then he grinned, whispering to himself "I always wanted to say that!" (everyone rolled their eyes with small smiles on their faces as the Winter Spirit wore a massive smile on his face) He then jumped down and landed by the others as they gathered around a map. A map of DunBroch.

"So, I'll lead us to the palace. I'll speak to my parents about adding their forces and the three clans' for the Coalition and then we move on to the Berserkers and Outcasts, which will not be easy, according to Hiccup. Then we head over to the Defenders of the Wing and the Wingmaidens. Then we head over to Corona and ask for their assistance."

"Defenders and the Wingmaidens? Easy enough. The Berserker and Outcasts? Not so much. Especially with that lunatic Dagur."

"He crazy?"

"He tried to drown me and uses me for target practice and then calls me little brother ten seconds later." Jack nodded slowly and turned back to the silver screen. Hiccup chuckled.

"What about that Arendelle place?" Jack inquired but the redhead shook her head.

"Arendelle has closed its doors to others years ago, they won't be of help." Jack nodded in understanding. "Alright then." Jack then looked at the Scottish princess and noticed her nervous expression.

"Merida?" she jolted, looking up at him, "You okay?" Merida took a deep breath.

"I will be. I have to do this. I knew I'd have to go home and face my mother eventually. But still... what will she say when we meet again? Will she be happy? Angry? Both?"

Elinor leaned against Merida. She had been thinking the same. She wanted to believe that she will welcome her with open arms and be understanding about what Merida needed to do. But there's a part of her that knows that may not be the case. There may be the off chance that she may not be as welcoming to her friends.

"Why don't we just focus on the now and worry about the later... later, kay?" Merida nodded, though she still looked worried.

Merida affectionately punched Jack in the shoulder. Jack smiled through the pain.

The scene fades out to show Merida leading the group through the forest. After a minute or so, Merida stopped Toothless. "You may want to stick around the outskirts of the castle Toothless. At least until I get my parents up to speed on the situation." Toothless nodded in understanding and rushed off into the forest.

"Alright. We're almost there. Just stay close and remain calm, 'kay?" the three nodded and Merida marched forward until she reached the gates of DunBroch castle. She paused, a look of horror overtaking her features, as well as those of her friends, as her eyes took in what she saw before her.

Smoke bellowed from some crumbled towers and stalls as a horse ran out of the stables and cleared out of the area, rushing past the four as they jumped out of the way. There were no people, but the signs of struggle were there as they took in the object shrewd about the marketplace. Fruit and veggies had started to grow rotten, the houses were boarded uptight, as though preparing for... a siege.

Fergus and Elinor could only stare at their kingdom in shock. What the hell happened? A dark thought suddenly crossed their minds. Was it... Mor'du?

Merida rushed in as she took in what has become of her home.

"What happened here?" Rapunzel whimpered, taking one of her whips out and her frying pan. Jack and Hiccup followed her lead, Hiccup readying his shield and pulling out his dagger. Jack frosted over his staff and readied the spearhead.

"A battle happened here," Merida concluded before spotting something behind the stalls. The hind legs of a horse. She walked over and gasped in horror, holding her hands to her mouth in shock. The camera didn't show them, no doubt, gruesome scene, other than the horse's hindquarters and the dozens of flies hovering over the corpse. Merida noticed the teeth marks on the body and the sheer size of them.

Elinor put a hand to her mouth in horror. Fergus was furious that something like this happened under his watch. The triplets huddled closer to Merida, who corralled her arms around them tightly. Toothless curled his tail around the lot of them.

She knew who did this.

"Mor'du. He's here!"

"What?"

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. We have to search the castle. My parents could still be-"

"M'lady?"

Merida froze mid-speech and looked over, noticing a grate that typically led to the dungeons and saw-

"Maudy?" Merida rushed over and fell to her knees, touching Maudy's hand through the gate as the handmaiden sobbed in relief.

"Thank the stars your alright, Princess!"

"I'm fine Maudy. What happened here? Where Mum and Dad? And my brothers? And everyone else?"

Merida held her brothers closer if that was possible. Were they...?

"They came in the night, m'lady. From the skies, from the forest - even from below the ground. Everyone that wasn't caught in the crossfire all vanished into the forest, over towards those horrid stones!"

"Who came into the night?"

"The demon's legion! Harpies, Mandrakes! Spirit Wolves! They ravaged every-..." Maudy trailed off, looking past Merida with fear bulging her eyes.

"Run m'lady! You need to run!"

"Why? What's wrong!"

"HE'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU!"

Merida turned around and the camera pans away over to a flower, only for it to be crushed by a thundering black paw. The camera shifts and pans out to show none other than the black demon bear himself.

"Mor'du."

The bear let out a monstrous roar and lunged at the camera.

The scene went black.

Everyone flinched as the bear clamped his jaws around the scene.