A/N: Almost done with this story, I know people are trying to rush me and I'm gonna tell you guys right now to cut that out, when you tell me to rush my work you're adding more stress on my shoulders, and its something I don't need. So for my next project, it's either finishing up Traveler Part II or beginning my Hidden World series, I'll let you guys decide what you want to see first. With that out of the way, onwards to the next chapter.

(Normal pov— Denmark, outside the Red Maw capital city)

"Keep moving!!"

Halvor, Avery, Ingrid, and Hiccup's Viking lieutenants were escorting thousands of men, women, and children onto the warships with utmost haste. Those among the citizens of Denmark who were too weak to walk were carried by Viking warriors onto the ships to ensure their survival and guarantee a death that did not involve being slaughtered like an animal.

The eldest Viking prince turned to his wife and son. "You two get on board the ship," he then continued, "I will not risk losing either of you this night."

"What about you?" Brenna inquired.

"I need to help as many of our people as possible," Halvor said, "they need to see that their future king is willing to get his hands dirty and lower himself to be a servant of the people! It's what my father would want me to do. Now go, I will join you when I am able." Brenna nodded and held their son close to her chest while walking up a gangplank leading into the Haddock's main warship.

"Halvor!"

Turning to his left, the eldest prince turned to his sister Ingrid as she then inquired. "Have you seen Zephyr? I don't see her anywhere!"

"I don't know," Halvor confessed, "perhaps she's staying behind with the warriors to slow the enemy's advance."

"Whatever the case, Zephyr is more than capable of handling herself," Avery said as he helped a mother and child up the gangplank, "if she's within the city still, she'll find a way back to us."

"I hope you're right," Ingrid said to her husband, "we've lost enough as of now, the last thing we need is to lose an heir to the Scandinavian Empire." Humming in agreement with his sister, Halvor looked up to the heavens and silently prayed that the gods would not abandon them now, not under such dire circumstances.

It had only been mere minutes after the Mongrels and their allies captured the Viking capital city, forcing Hiccup and his people to flee and make a break for a secret fleet of ships hidden in a massive grotto. Despite collapsing the entrance to the catacombs, the citizens of Denmark were not out of harm's way just yet, as they were treading through the forest, Mongrel warriors had caught up to them and began slaughtering any Vikings in their path. Astrid, who was leading the exodus for the time being ordered the warriors to protect their rear flank while they continued to tread through the forest and enter the cave network that leads to the grotto.

Explosions soon rang out throughout the forest, as the Mongrels were using round handheld bombs to create disorder and panic among the Viking citizens.

And it worked.

As the Viking citizens tried to scatter in any direction they could find, Mongrel archers would pick them off, and if they were too stubborn to die, the foreign warriors ensured their deaths. Whether the citizens be young or old, the Mongrels showed no mercy, and the leader of this group of ruthless Mongrels was none other than Eir Stormheart. She had harbored decades of pain, hatred, and anger for so long, now she was unleashing these destructive emotions upon the Scandinavian people and it threatened to destroy them all.

Astrid, who was determined to save the lives of her family and as many of her people as possible, ordered as many warriors to hold off the bloodthirsty Monngrels as they finally reached the cave network that led to the grotto.

But the Mongrel princess and her group were quickly gaining on the fleeing Vikings.

Eir lunged with an enraged snarl, driving her sword through the belly of a Viking warrior, hissing like a serpent as the Viking let out a dying cry. Another Viking warrior rushed at the Mongrel princess head-on before she has time to yank her sword free. But she hears the sound of a whirling battle-ax behind her... and leaned abruptly to the left as the weapon flew by her and struck the charging Viking warrior with full force in the chest, killing them.

Looking back, Eir lays eyes on Vitani— one of the Mongrel lieutenants and sister to Kovu. The Egyptian female sported dyed hair that matched the color of wheat, though her ebony roots still showed, her hair was done in deadlocks that were done in an asymmetrical hairstyle while the other side of her head was shorn short. She wore black and golden armor, cheetah fur lace boots, and a cloak draped around her shoulders. Vitani approaches the Viking that held her embedded battle-ax in their chest, ripping it out and tipping her head in acknowledgment at Eir before engaging more Viking warriors that were foolish enough to press her.

Finally ripping her sword free from the Viking she killed, Eir forges ahead. They are closing in on the grotto that holds a large portion of Hiccup Haddock's ships. Viking warriors are falling all around her as she sprints towards the grotto.

They are so close.

Fast, and heavy footprints come up behind her-- Dagan, ferocious and bloodthirsty, shouts words of caution to Eir as she attacks a hulking, broad-shouldered Viking. Eir ducks underneath their ax swing and rolls away from a Valkyrie's spear. As Dagan's mighty war hammer makes contact with the hulking Viking's head, Eir slashes them across their side with her sword. The hulking Viking loses his footing, and Eir kicks his hip, tipping towards Dagan, allowing the Assyrian lieutenant to finish the Viking off by seizing the Viking by the throat and crushing his windpipe in with horrifying ease; during normally fights with his bare hands, his raw strength alone was most impressive and he struck fear into the hearts of many opponents who had the courage to face him.

Eir pushes forward.

They are so close...

A ferocious laugh erupts to her right, and then the thundering blast of a handheld explosive. Alya, once an abused Arabian princess, now a battle-hardened warrior and Mongrel lieutenant moved as fast as a serpent as she creates explosions of earth, snow, flesh, and blood all around them. She keeps laughing as she slaughters Vikings with her bombs or dual swords with ease.

So close; the entrance leading into the grotto that held Hiccup's fleet of reserved ships was right in front of them.

They are so close!

But then... before Eir, a blinding flash of lightning cuts off her sight. She then sees Mongrels being reduced into ash all around her as a Skrill fires one torrent of lightning after another. Smoke and embers are the only traces of the once pursuing Mongrel warriors. On top of the Skrill was Dagur the Deranged, the man unleashed animalistic screams of rage while he too slaughtered Mongrel warriors by hurling throwing knives with deadly purpose, meanwhile his dragon vaporized Mongrels left and right, dwindling their numbers at an alarming rate.

A bolt of lightning struck one of Alya's bombs, the Arabian warrior's eyes widened in horror as she quickly hurled the explosive, only for it to implode prematurely and caused her to fly back and collide into a nearby tree. Dagur's Skrill turned to Dagan and fired a fatal bolt of lightning in his direction, the Assyrian giant raised his shield to protect himself, but the blast of lightning reduced his mighty shield into dust and sent Dagan flying in the air and crashing down on the scorched, gore slicked ground. Continuing to fire streams of lightning, Dagur's Skrill effectively cut off the Mongrels with a wall of fire and stopped them from pursuing the fleeing Vikings.

"NO!!"

Eir screamed out in raw fury, they were there! They could've caught up to Haddock and his people before they slipped from their grasp. Mongrel archers drove Dagur and his Skrill back, leaving the foreigners to tend to their wounded and kill any Viking citizens or warriors that were too slow to make it to the ships.

For Eir, there was no time to throw a violent tantrum, the forest around them suddenly starting to burn; consuming everything around them and filling the air with thick smoke. Turning to her lieutenants and warriors, Eir tells everyone to run as the fire around them gets out of hand. Turning back and running back towards the capital city, the group of Mongrels ran as fast as their legs can carry them, but the smoke in the air is causing them to choke and cough violently, they also evade burning trees falling and burning hot embers going up in their faces. Suffering substantial casualties in the forest fire, Eir and the lieutenants that accompanied her make out of the forest and get as far away as they can.

Regaining their breath, the lieutenants turn to Eir and Alya was the first to question her. "What would you have us do? By the time we head back into the city and assemble our allies to pursue them, Haddock and his people will be long gone," the Arabian continued, "shall we gather our fleet and pursue them?"

"Nothing would please me more," Eir said, "but ultimately, Nikora has the last word and no doubt she'd want us to have patience—"

"We have waited long enough!" Dagan snarled out. "We must wipe away the blight that is Hiccup Haddock and his savage people!"

"I agree," Eir said wholeheartedly, "but Nikora is queen and has higher authority, we must consolidate her passions to see our enemy destroyed while they are in a position of weakness. Come." The Mongrel princess and her lieutenants followed her back into the fallen city to seek out Nikora.

Eir prayed that Nikora would not hold back and give the command to unleash everything they had on Haddock and his people, now that they were driven out of their fortified city.

(Within the fallen city)

The now-former impenetrable capital city of Hiccup's empire was now a mass grave of man, dragons, and beasts alike. Denmark's streets are littered with Viking and Mongrel corpses, severed remains of dragons, charred remains of plague-bearing rats, and livestock that were killed by the rats. The fetid stench of death, blood, and gore are unbearable, worse than any battlefield Nikora has ever smelled before.

Accompanied by her Shadows, Nikora walks up the steps of a temple and enters the structure with her blood-stained weapon at the ready. Nikora is on edge, unsure if there are Viking survivors within or if the temple holds a witch within them. Hearing about Viking seers from Harald Forkbeard, Nikora does not let her guard down for a second as they delve deeper into the temple.

Finally, Nikora and her Shadows lay eyes on several of their Mongrel brothers brutally mutilated, their blood soaking the marble floor and surrounding two Viking warriors as well as a hooded woman praying before a statue of Odin, the woman has thick bear fur draped around her shoulders, her arms are heavily tattooed, and her whispering of voice caused Nikora to steel her nerves. Placing the butt end of her Kwan Dao on the ground, the Mongrel queen hears the Viking woman cease her prayers and she slowly rises to her feet and turns around to face them.

Nikora instantly remembers the woman before her, she was at the temple on the beach when they first made their landing on the shores of Denmark some time ago.

"Your gods cannot save you or your people, witch," Nikora seethed out while pointing her weapon at Dahlia the Dark One, "this is the beginning of the end for your kind. When we have concluded our campaign, Scandinavia will be nothing but a distant memory." The Viking seer merely gave Nikora a smile that caused chills to crawl down her spine, then a series of giggles left the woman's lips while she shook her head. "Why do you laugh? Do you believe what we seek to accomplish is impossible?"

"No," Dahlia said while still giggling, "I simply find it amusing that you believe you can easily best my Blood King. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III is a man whose fame and reputation eclipses all our former heroes, you have not only threatened the Viking way of life, but you also threatened to destroy the Scandinavian Empire! Your desires to destroy my king will not bear fruit."

"What do you see, witch?" Nikora inquired curiously.

"I see Nikora and Eir Stormheart upon the sands of the arena within this city..." Dahlia's eyes roll in the back of her head as she continues, "...the people of Scandinavia howl for your blood... and my king is the one who strikes you from Midgard—"

Placing the tip of her Kwan Dao at Dahlia's throat, Nikora seethes out. "You lie!" Leaning closer to Dahlia, the Mongrel queen continued. "Your sorcery ends now!" The Viking warriors drew their weapons, but the witch held them back and replied to Nikora's words.

"Foolish girl," Dahlia said with a grin, "it's only just begun."

Suddenly, Nikora felt an agonizing twist in her gut, causing her to hurl what she had eaten before taking the city. Her Shadows were at her side and voiced worries in Egyptian tongue to her, wiping away bile clinging to the side of her mouth, Nikora growled out. "What have you done to me?" Dahlia's only response was a sinister smirk, that response only made Nikora's anger burn hotter, and she was about to lash out, but the witch answered. "From this moment forth, Nikora and Eir Stormheart are cursed," crouching down and seizing two hearts from two of the deceased Mongrel warriors, Dahlia looked into Nikora's eyes and continued, "the witch holds the foreigner's hearts in her hands and she will... squeeze it... and break it," As she squeezed both hearts, Nikora's heart seized within her chest and she felt very lightheaded all of the sudden. Turning to the Viking warriors that were with her, Dahila spoke to them, "go and inform Lord Hiccup of this development." The warriors nodded and left the temple.

As the Viking warriors left, Nikora and the lieutenants accompanying her entered the temple and bore witness to their enemies leaving unscathed. The Mongrel princess was about to inquire as to why two Viking warriors were allowed to live, but when she laid eyes on her sister, she stopped dead in her tracks as she took in Nikora's appearance— her perfectly tanned skin color looked pale, she looked weak, and she fell to her knees and began throwing up mouthfuls of blood which alarmed Eir and the high ranking Mongrels. Drawing her sword, Eir pounced at Dahlia with murderous intent, but the witch held a hand out and stopped the bloodthirsty princess in her tracks, chanting a spell upon Eir, Dahlia ensured she suffered the same curse as Nikora. "Your lives are mine to torment," the witch said with glee, "you believe you know what it means to suffer? But you do not. You are but children acting like adults, and when I am done with you two, you shall be the instruments of your own demise!" Looking up at the Mongrel lieutenants who were prepared to lash out, Dahlia spoke in a warning. "Kill me, and your leaders remained cursed," she stated while flashing them a shark-like grin, "their curse will destroy you all and weaken you to the point where my Blood King will wipe you from history." Dahlia's words caused Eir to snarl out in disbelief as she tried fighting the unseen force preventing her from striking the witch.

Finally, Dahlia lowered her hand and Eir fell to her knees, alongside Nikora who was panting heavily while wiping away specs of her blood off the corners of her mouth. Both Stormheart's looked into the witch's eyes and for a moment, they were as black as the darkest night— devoid of any light or color. "You cannot kill me," Dahlia said with a smirk, "my curse will live on within you, torturing you to the point where you'll want to take your own lives just to relieve yourself of the pain, torment, and suffering." She closed her eyes and opened them, returning them to their normal state. "You may have won this battle, but you have awakened the monster inside of Hiccup Haddock," she said in warning, "he will rain down death and destruction upon you and your allies. Your quest of vengeance will come short, and you will die in failure." With this revelation revealed, Dahlia threw her hood back over her head and departed the temple, leaving the Stormheart's and their servants to dwell upon the words that left Dahlia's mouth.

Vitani was the first to break out of her stupor and crouched down to her masters and inquired in a worried tone. "What would you have us do?" Eir, who was now throwing up mouthfuls of blood was unable to answer, but Nikora turned to the Egyptian and croaked out weakly. "A-Assemble... the warlords and our lieutenants," groaning in agony, Nikora continued, "w-we... we must learn where Haddock is and finish this. Go!" Vitani bowed her head and turned to the Shadows and ordered them to fetch their healers so they could tend to their masters. Looking to her sister, Nikora could see something in Eir's eyes, something she has not seen in a very long time.

Fear.

Nikora couldn't blame her sister in the slightest, she too felt fear overcome her as Dahlia's words burned into her mind— were they destined to fail in exacting their revenge?

No.

She will not allow the machinations of a witch to stop her and her people from concluding their conquest here in Scandinavia.

If they are to succeed in their mission, they must first rid themselves of this curse. And luckily, Nikora not only had Harald Forkbeard at her service, but she also had those who betrayed Haddock in favor of them to tell her how to rid themselves of a curse.

Time was now a luxury they no longer possessed, even now Nikora could feel her life withering away and no doubt Eir could feel the same, seeing as though her light skin looked paler than usual and looked incredibly frail.

They needed to know how to break this curse before it devoured them and their armies.

A/N: I'm gonna get another chapter in on Monday. This story is nearly completed and I wanted to thank you guys for sticking with it, hope you're ready for what's to come!