A/N: I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving, despite COVID 19 continuing to be a nuisance to us all. I'm going to escalate things pretty quickly and soon war will erupt between Hiccup and his enemies. Anyway, onwards to the next chapter!

(Hiccup's pov)

The following day came quickly, I had wanted to express my sincere apologies to Nuffink, but he has kept his distance from me and has remained in the embrace of Katerina. My regret was reaching an all-time high the more I dwelled upon striking Nuffink numerous times throughout his life, and whenever I had delivered such a blow to him, he'd shrink back in fear; the same fear that once reflected in my own eyes when I endured hell on Berk.

Currently, I was seated on my throne in the pulvinus of my arena and watching the spectacle of my finest gladiators fighting warriors, now reduced to slaves captured in foreign campaigns. This event was but one of many I have created for my people to witness and even partake in— witnessing and fighting in the arena against foreign warriors who robbed them of loved ones, there's also the Dragon Races where you not only earn fame but also wealth as well, and there is also the Trials where one competes in several ordeals of strength to climb to the mountain top of fame and wealth. These games and events served as a way to distract my people from the harsh reality of life, to indulge themselves in thrilling events, and witness the lives of some of the greatest foreign warriors the Red Maw has fought being snuffed out in my arena.

Unlike the gladiators of the Roman Empire who stood as slaves, my gladiators were free sons and daughters of Norway who stood as retired warriors who yet had some fight within them. They stood as some of my most gifted warriors and schooled many of the young men and women in the combative arts of a Viking, some of my finest warriors were forged in the sands of my arena and many more have helped me gain victory in my foreign conquests throughout Midgard.

But now I feel a subtle change in the wind; a coming storm that will threaten to wash away my empire from history.

A thing I would not see come to pass.

"Hiccup?"

My thoughts were broken by Astrid, once the girl of my dreams who couldn't have cared less about me, now seated by my side as Frigg, Queen of Asgard itself. Astrid's beautiful face was twisted with concern for me, she then raised a questioning eyebrow. "You were zoning out," she then continued, "are you alright?" I sighed heavily and waited for the roars of the thousands of Viking citizens to die down before answering my wife. "You know that I have been... harsh with Nuffink. And while his foolishness has upset me many times, I regret striking him out of anger," once more the roars of my people filled my ears as one of my gladiators struck down one of the foreign opponents, "every time I wish to offer my sincere apologies to Nuffink, he evades me."

Taking one of my hands and lacing our fingers together, Astrid then speaks. "Our son is... different," she then smirked, "much like his father." I chuckled lightly and then felt the pang of regret and guilt tugging at my heart, "Nuffink reminds me of myself when I was a younger man after I left Berk. Granted I didn't indulge in drugs and go off whoring. I desired to transform our homelands into something far greater than what they are and to do so, I needed to ally with the most dangerous and ruthless Vikings of our lifetime. I defied three centuries of tradition and have created the bridge of coexistence between man and dragon. And after striking down those who would tear down everything I've built, my empire has grown vast and it holds the promise of eclipsing all others in all of human history!" Raising my left hand and witnessing the crimson plasma that glowed in my palm, I continued. "All I want is for our son to prove himself a man, and quickly! His childish antics will bring a war the likes of which we have never seen before in our lifetime!"

"True, and ever since Nuffink brought that Christian princess to our capital city, Gudmundr has expressed his nonstop concerns about the repercussions that will find its way to our shores," Astrid continued, "and on top of that, Gudmundr also eyes your throne and me like a ravenous wolf; starved of food for many months. It's well known the man has challenged you for your throne on many occasions."

Gudmundr was a seasoned Viking and stood as one of Stoick's final allies to help him destroy Hiccup's empire years prior. But instead of slaying the man, Hiccup saw something in his eyes that told him that Gudmundr could prove himself as a trustworthy ally. Not only did Gudmundr prove himself, but he also swore on his sacred arm ring to serve Hiccup and his bloodline until Valhalla called to him. But after hearing of Nuffink's actions, he, like many within my capital city were filled with rage and wished to see Nuffink severely punished for putting my empire at risk. Gundmundr especially was demanding that I see to it that Nuffink bled for his youthful foolishness and return Princess Katerina to the Rus' before the inevitable war between our two nations would once again find its way to our shores.

"I will have words with Gudmundr," I reassured my wife, "I understand his anger, and I too am angry with what our son has done. But I will not let my anger consume me entirely, not when I've beaten him enough as it is." Astrid nodded and raised our laced fingers together and pressed her lips to my knuckles.

"Mother! Father!"

Both Astrid and I turned around and laid eyes on our daughter, Zephyr, she held a parchment of Terror Mail in her right hand and extended it to me. "We've just received word from our spies within the Kievan kingdom, Boleslav and his son Igor have not only gathered all the Rus' kingdoms to create a sizeable army, but they've also allied with many foreigners," she then continued, "these foreigners ships bore the emblem of a large sword right down the middle of a dragon's skull and what appeared to be... a whirlwind of some kind." Astrid looked at me, testing my reaction, and my sharp intake of breath caused my wife to give me a questioning look.

"Enemies from the past have united with Boleslav and Igor," I then added with a heavy sigh, "powerful enemies at that; they are the remnants of Drago Bludvist's army and the Mongrel Tribe— highly intelligent and skilled warriors who could easily outmatch any Viking in single combat." With a heavy sigh, I then looked back to Zephyr and inquire. "Were our spies able to overhear when our enemy attempts to set sail?" My second daughter pursed her lips and answered. "Boleslav spoke of his intentions to sail in three days," she then continued, "three days have already passed, now he and a massive foreign army sail for our shores."

"Then we have much preparation and little time," I said firmly, "summon those within my council and have them meet me within the throne room. We must see to it that our defenses are ready to repel against this overwhelming force." Zephyr bowed her head and left us. Turning back to me, Astrid gave me a questioning look. "What are your thoughts?" She inquired, I turned to her and gave her a sad smile. "For the first time in a very long time... I'm afraid," I confessed, "I'm afraid I won't be able to defend our people, our dragons, and our nation from being devoured by this foe." Astrid too looked afraid, I then closed my eyes and murmured out.

"May the gods help us all,"

(Normal pov— Onboard The Tempest)

The day had finally come.

After twenty years, the day for retribution had finally arrived for Nikora and Eir Stormheart; they had thirsted for this day like a man lost in a wilderness, deprived of water.

Boleslav had finally given the command to set sail after three days had passed, the armies of Rus' loaded their ships with supplies and their warriors as they and their foreign allies followed them into the very heart of Hiccup's Viking empire.

Much has changed for the Mongrel Tribe during these two decades, their numbers which were once in the hundreds were now in the thousands. Nikora and Eir had warriors of the deadliest caliber— Hashashin assassins, Mongol Kheshig, Egyptian Medjay, as well as the skilled group of knife throwers, the Ngbaka. Many of the known world's deadliest, stealthiest, and well-trained warriors served under the Mongrel banner and obeyed the will of their late king, Hassan, as they now serve Nikora and Eir, these warriors are all loyal and sworn to the Stormheart sisters, they would gladly give their lives to secure victory or even take their own lives if so commanded by their two leaders. The voyage to Norway was most bitter for many of these warriors, they were born in parts of the world where winters were not so cruel, save but a handful. But those who hailed from Africa, Persia, Arabia, and even Assyria were not accustomed to such cruel weather conditions, yet if they were to obtain victory, they would need to adapt to this change in climate, and ready themselves for the war they would bring to bear upon the Viking people.

Nikora resided within her chambers for the majority of the voyage and had spent many hours studying the defenses Haddock has established within his borders, she had procured this information thanks to the many merchants and traders who travel throughout the world, and the Mongrel Tribe has dealings with many of those who deal in trade, and as luck would have it, many of these traders offered Haddock's people with exotic wonders from every corner of the world beyond Norway. Nikora had spent hours looking over Haddock's defenses and a map of Hiccup's empire; studying her enemy's home and borders for any fatal weaknesses the Mongrel's could exploit and land a crippling blow. Nikora found no such flaws in Haddock's defenses, according to the map she had in her possession.

Cursing under her breath, despite the grievance Haddock had inflicted upon her and Eir, Nikora held a deep respect for her opponent. His mind was sharper than any Viking she's ever heard of, perhaps even more so than the infamous Ivar the Boneless, the crippled son of legendary Viking hero, Ragnar Lothbrok. Haddock was not only intelligent, but he was able to best Hassan Stormheart, the king of the Mongrel Tribe and one of the greatest warriors to walk the face of the earth. Nikora knew there was more to Haddock that beats the eye, he also wielded powers men could only dream of, but despite wielding godlike power, Haddock faced and killed Hassan in a fair and honorable fight.

Despite not using trickery or his powers to defeat their father, Nikora and Eir still craved Hiccup Haddock's death, more so than the air they breathed in. They wanted to destroy everything Haddock created and see to it that his name, legacy, actions, and seed are reduced to ash; forever lost to history.

The door to Nikora's chambers opened, revealing Eir. "What are you doing?" The younger Stormheart inquired, Nikora gestured to the map before her and answered her younger sister. "I'm trying to gauge whether or not Haddock has any weaknesses we can exploit," she then sighed and shook her head, "I have found nothing as of yet. Haddock is a most cunning opponent, luckily we too are just as intelligent, if not more; we must bring our minds together and formulate a solid plan, one that will ease the minds of those who doubt us."

"Very well," Eir said while closing the door to her sister's chambers, "what are your thoughts?"

"As soon as we enter Haddock's territory, we must assume to expect resistance at every turn. And after twenty years of training, patience, and growing our numbers, or people will be craving for war," Nikora continued, "in the beginning, we did not have the numbers to challenge Haddock directly. But now that we have the support of the Rus' people as well as the remnants of Drago's army, we have an army of colossal proportions and we must use this advantage to overwhelm our enemy entirely."

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Eir inquired.

"We must strike at one of the lesser Viking kingdoms residing in Haddock's territory," Nikora said, "according to Harald, the weak link is a Viking clan called the Will of Odin. The majority of their numbers are in the form of sorcerers and sorceresses, although they themselves are not warriors, they may use some manner of witchcraft to halt our advance. I would advise caution. Haddock knows the importance of these hermits and will most certainly have a detachment of warriors defending this clan."

"Good, where's the fun in slaughtering an enemy who cannot fight back? I long to feel Viking blood hot upon my cheeks as I kill those filthy animals!" Eir growled out.

"Your bloodlust will soon be sated, dearest sister," Nikora reassured in a soothing tone, "for now, we must temper this bloodlust with patience, and continue formulating a plan of attack." Eir's face twisted with annoyance, but she found the wisdom in her older sister's words and nodded. Approaching her younger sister, Nikora cupped both of Eir's cheeks and kissed her forehead, and looked into her eyes which were blazing. "We will exact our revenge and see to it that everything Haddock has created is reduced to ash," Nikora continued, "Haddock's empire threatens all of us, but now that we have an army capable of overwhelming him and his people, we will see to it that our father's death is avenged and that Haddock's head is parted from his shoulders." Eir nodded firmly and the two rulers of the Mongrel Tribe embraced each other.

They were eager to destroy Haddock and kill everyone he loved.

(Hiccup's pov)

The roars of urgency, fear, and anger filled my ears and it threatened to cause insanity. After gathering my family, my top Viking allies, as well as my dragon sympathizers, I had gathered us together to formulate a plan of defense against this overwhelming force that was on its way to our shores, but soon arguments broke out and it was getting us nowhere. My pupils then turned into thin slits and I roared out.

"ENOUGH!!"

Everyone stopped talking as I then rose from my seat and gave everyone heated glares, the intensity of my glare caused my council to return to their seats and keep their mouths shut as I then spoke. "Enough of your useless prattle! Arguing amongst each other amounts to nothing!" With a heavy sigh, I sat back down on my throne and continued. "War is now inevitable; it'll reach our shores sooner or later and threaten to wipe us all out if we do not prepare to defend what's ours!"

"And what would you have us do, King Hiccup?" Prince Avery inquired.

I turned to the heir of the Celestial Empire and eyed him from head to toe. The man had green eyes that burned with the passion to not only defend our home, but also the trillions of dragons that live with us. Avery had long blond hair stopping at the middle of his spine, he wore gleaming silver, black, and golden armor and had a violet cape draped around his broad shoulders. He's most serious and cruel when it comes to Dragon Hunters, slaughtering them without pity or mercy if for the abuse and torture they inflict upon dragons. He's quite awkward around new people but such a warm friend when he gets comfortable with you. His bonded dragon is a Silver Phantom. Her name is Skyress. She's a soft giant. She's gentle with humans as well as other dragons. Avery also stands as my son-in-law, he and my daughter Ingrid are married, regrettably, my older daughter has yet to produce an heir to carry the name Haddock, but in time, such an occasion will give cause for celebration.

"These last twenty years have given us time to fortify entrance to Norway and the lands within our borders. I will send word to our outer defenses, they are to hold off the enemy for as long as possible, and when they have been overwhelmed by the enemy's numbers, they are to retreat and aid in the defense of our seers' clan— The Will of Odin. If our seers were to fall, it would be catastrophic, they stand as one of the most important figures in a Viking's life because we Vikings believe in fate and the seers can read the runes and often translate the wishes of the gods," I chuckled lightly and continued, "our enemy is ruthless; hellbent on destroying our very way of life!"

"We cannot allow our seers to become the first casualties of this war Hiccup," Fishlegs boomed out, the once chubby Ingerman was now hulking and could intimidate any man because of his imposing physic, "Gothi yet stands among the seers of the clan in which you speak of, we must escort her and those who live in service of the Æsir out of harm's way."

"Agreed," I said, "Fishlegs, you and a detachment of my warriors will seek out the seers' clan and see them out of harm's way before the enemy arrives. The men await you and will follow you once you meet them." Rising from his seat, Fishlegs bowed his head to me and took his leave, I then turned to Gobber and raise a questioning eyebrow at him. "We will need more weapons, armor, and shields forged from Gronckle Iron and give our forces the advantage they need to render our enemy's weapons useless, can you and your smithy apprentices handle that?"

"For you lad? Of course," Gobber said firmly, "I will begin at once, and see to it that our armies are all blessed with lighter yet stronger weaponry and armor." Rising from his seat, Gobber bowed his head at me and took his leave.

"Hiccup, what of the dragons' safety?" Mala inquired. "If our enemy intends on enslaving every dragon in Norway, we must ensure that we protect their freedom."

"Agreed," Avery said firmly, "if our enemy wishes to rip our dragons from our grasp, they will not only be sorely disappointed, but they'll also enter a world of suffering."

"Of that, I have no doubt, Avery," Atali said, "but we know not if our enemy has any enslaved dragons to act as beasts of war, or if they possess an alpha dragon with them. And even if they did, we not only have our two Stokers, the muddy Bewilderbeast, but we also have Toothless who stands as the true King of Dragons." Turning to Zephyr, Atali inquired. "Did our Viking spies mention anything of our enemy having a dragon army or even an alpha class dragon by their side?"

"Unfortunately, no," Zephyr said, "however, we must assume that they hold an alpha class dragon and will plan on using this dragon to challenge our very own alphas and gain command of our dragon hordes; enslaving trillions of rare, endangered, and already abused spies of dragons."

"A thing I would not see come to pass," Avery said, he then turned to me and continued, "I shall send word to my father and summon a legion of our best dragon riders and ensure that our enemy does not touch a single one of our dragons."

"Received with much gratitude," I said to my son-in-law, "have these dragon riders protect our dragon nurseries and ensure that the hatchlings are well protected. The fully grown dragons we have are outfitted with armor that's light and comfortable for the dragons to wear when we face Dragon Hunters and those who intend to shoot them out of the skies."

"And what of your son and his punishment?"

Turning to Gudmundr, I eyed the man and narrowed my eyes at him. "That is none of your concern," I said firmly, "I have already dealt with Nuffink, and with eternal regret, I've inflicted injuries upon him that no father should ever inflict upon his son." Turning to Nuffink, I see his face twist with both surprise and... hope.

By the gods, have I been that cruel to my son that I deprived him of hope that I will accept him for who he is?

"Of course it's my concern! It's all of our concern!" Gudmundr snarled out. "Your son has put our entire empire in jeopardy for a Christian princess! He not only brings all of us shame, dishonor, and insult by committing these actions, but he also promised the total eradication of our people! Perhaps you have gone soft and not have dealt with your son that ensures he submits to your every command!" The occupants of the room held their breath as Gudmundr boomed out these words.

I then rose from my throne and my pupils turned into slits. "Bold words," I said in a cool tone, "the only reason I spared your life Gudmundr is because I saw promise in your eyes, it is now a decision I am now starting to regret. Concern yourself with serving me and being one of the many swords and shields that will protect our homeland, and keep your business out of the affairs of my family." Gudmundr bowed his head in submission, and I huffed at him.

"You would be wise to heed my son," Valka said firmly, "you once stood as our enemy Gudmundr by siding with Vikings who wished to see my son's empire fall to ruin. Consider it a blessing that you are yet of this world, and if you wish to remain in it, heed my son's words, and do not test his patience."

"Wise words indeed," Astrid said, "know that if you do anything to abuse the trust my husband has given you, I will bury my battle-ax into your chest and rip your heart out of your chest."

My wife's words caused me to smirk and turn back to Gudmundr. "Remove yourself from my sight," I then say firmly, "I will summon you when I have need of you." A vein bulged in Gudmundr's forehead; showing that he was indeed angry, and a part of me prayed that he would step out of line and give me a reason to end his life. But he was wise enough not to challenge me directly, he rose from his seat, bowed his head in submission, and took his leave.

"That man slowly but surely digs his own grave," Halfdan said with a snort, "pushing his limits by speaking such bold words."

"He will need to be watched," Hava said, "he stands as a wild dog that has submitted to you for now, but if our enemy's army is too much for our Red Maw to handle, he may betray us in favor of aiding our enemy complete what Stoick and those who followed him failed to do years ago."

"I am inclined to agree," I said, "I shall select one among us who stands as one of my most trusted and most skilled warriors. She is to serve as my spy and report back to me on Gudmundr and all his activities." I then turned to Halvor and raise a questioning eyebrow at him. "Do our armies stand ready for war?" My eldest son bowed his head in confirmation. "They do father," he then continued, "they are prepared to follow you to the very gates of Valhalla if so commanded."

"And I would lay down my life to ensure all of you live," I said firmly, "I may stand as Blood King, but I also stand as your humble servant; I live to see you all prosper, live long lives, and see to it that you remain free. If our enemy overwhelms us, we will not only face slavery but slaughter on a massive scale. Know that I will do whatever it takes to see that we win the coming war and ensure this empire stands firm, even in the face of overwhelming odds."

A/N: War is coming very soon, I hope you guys are ready for it. My mind is churning with thoughts of dozens of new stories I'll write in 2021, one of these new stories will be a gender-bent story with Hiccup as a woman, something I'm very eager to try out. But until then, thanks for tuning in, and I'll see you in the next update!