They woke up to the sun shining through the window and into the room. After they woke up fully, they got ready, and headed downstairs for breakfast.

As they sat down in the empty room, the guy who did their orders last night came on over, "Hope y'all had a good rest."

"Slept like a rock." Dusty answered.

"Yeah, good beds you have here." Thyra agreed.

"Well, what can I get the couple to drink?" he asked.

"I'll take a water." Dusty answered

"Same here." Thyra added.

The man nodded and walked off, just as the front door was kicked open, and the man who tried to grab Thyra last night walked in, with four other guys behind him.

"You gotta be kidding me." Dusty said quietly, as the men spotted them.

Thyra's hand slowly slipped to her dagger as she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Hey you two, so how about we start over from last night, I won't hurt either of you, if you just hand the girl over." The man says as he walks over.

Dusty stood up and got between him and Thyra, "Why don't you walk off before I mess the rest of you up, you and your friends there."

The man shoves Dusty, but he doesn't go back more than a foot, before his right wrist-blade is out, and he stabs the man in the chest, he yells out in pain, but is silenced as another slices his throat open. He falls to the ground as blood pours out.

"Anyone else want to test us?" Thyra asks, lifting her dagger up into view.

The rest of the men slowly backed up, with their hands up, and walked out of the door.

"Guess we're leaving now." Dusty said to her as he retracted the blade.

She nodded, glancing around the room. "Yeah, I'm really not in the mood to fight idiots. Someone with skill would be better."

Dusty led the way out, and they found Blackwater, Misty and Tug where they left them, and after a few pats, they were back on the road.

"When will anyone learn to leave us alone?" Thyra groaned as they cantered along an empty field.

"My guess is when there's no one left." Dusty answered.

She shrugged. "Well, either that or they all hear more rumours of us, and decide to save themselves."

"I still need new weapons and armor." Dusty reminded her.

"Yeah, we'll have to find a way to make that happen as quickly as possible." Thyra nodded.

They followed the road for a few hours, passing only a handful of other people, and they watched as mountains came into view in the distance.

"Look up there." Dusty says as he looks at them in the distance.

She followed his gaze, staring at the gigantic objects. "There could be a settlement around here." She told him thoughtfully.

"Has to be, more iron comes out of those mountains than anywhere in the empire, they have deep mines and use slaves to harvest it all." Dusty replies

She nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we'll have to be careful."

They continued along the road, and as the sun set, they were within a valley, surrounded by the mountains.

Dusty got the fire going as Thyra got the tents up, and by the time they were done, Dark and Pulse had caught up and were play-fighting with each other.

"You want to know something?" Dusty asked Thyra as they sat by the fire, waiting for some meat to be cooked.

"Sure," she replies.

"The Germanians used to rule this are, they were superstitious and beloved in Dark Magic, they say it's a corruption of evil and anyone with it has to die, before it corrupts them."

"Well, isn't that interesting."

"Yeah, I didn't believe in magic till this happened to us...but now I wonder if the takes of black magic are true." Dusty wonders.

"And if it is, would we be able to find a way to use it against our enemies?" Thyra added.

"Apparently it corrupts the heart and soul of whoever weiode it, so they have no love, only hate, and want for destruction."

"Yeah, but we're not ordinary people." Thyra laughed, flashing her eyes slit.

"You've got a point there, but let me go find some berries or something." Dusty says as he gets up.

"Alright, don't die!" Thyra yelled after him, kneeling beside the fire.

After a few minutes of walking, Dusty forums a diff wall, that had some edible berries growing on it, he started picking, and popped a few into his mouth, and had a nice little bag, when he leaned against what he thought was a solid wall, so he let out a yelp of surprise when he fell straight through the bush, and into the cave entrance it was covering.

Meanwhile, the meat was done, so Thyra pulled it away from the fire as she waited for Dusty to return.

Dusty pushed himself up, and looked around the cave he was in, it wasn't large, but thanks to his improved vision, he could see he was the only on in there, the only problem was, he felt something in the air, something dark, something her never felt before, he looked at the far side of the cave, and saw some form of writing on the wall, in a language he's never seen before.

Thyra looked up and sighed. It'd been about half an hour since he left, and she knew he was capable of looking after himself, but she was getting curious to where he had wandered off to. It was only berries, after all. It shouldn't take this long to gather them. She stood up and made sure the fire wasn't going to spread anywhere, before walking off the way she saw Dusty go.

Dusty put his hand against the writing as he looked through his memories, trying to see if he's seen this anywhere, but in the end, he never had. He found two hand prints on either side of the writing, both seemingly for two separate right hands.

Thyra weaved her way through the shrub, finding no sign of Dusty yet. She knew he wouldn't be far though, so she'd probably find him eventually. She searched around where she saw some bushes of berries, but hadn't come across him yet.

Dusty placed his hand in one of the prints, but nothing happened, he shrugged before grabbing the berries he collected, and pushing himself out, and walked right into Thyra, literally.

"Ow." She muttered, before realising who had practically barreled her over. "Dusty, there you are!"

"Sorry Thy, I was distracted." Dusty apologized, helping her up.

"No problem, but you'd been gone for like half an hour, so I figured I'd come find you and see what was taking you so long!" She smiled, brushing herself off.

"Well, I found something, if that answers your question." Dusty told her.

She looked at him curiously. "Cool! What is it? A three course meal by any chance?" She jokes.

Dusty rolled his eyes, "Why don't you see for yourself", he said, pushing back into the cave.

She raised her eyebrows in curiosity and followed after him. "Can't believe I didn't even notice this." She muttered, looking around.

Dusty walked back to the wall with writing, "You ever seen writing like this before?"

She followed him, examining the writing. "No," she replied, shaking her head. "Never. You?"

"No, but there is this print, look." he placed his hand in the same print from earlier, " there's another one on the other side of the writing."

Thyra walked up to it and rubbed her hand over the cool stone. "That's so weird." She muttered, realising how well her hand fit into the print.

Suddenly, a pulsing light came from the runes, and when both Thyra and Dusty turned to look at it, pulsing dark lightning-like lights flowed out to the hand prints. Neither remove their hands, wanting to see what happens. A tingling sensation hit their hands, and the next thing they knew, black sharp light was running all over their hands, tingling oddly. As they drew their hands back and turned them over, the light was still pulsing around their palms.

It stayed like that for a few seconds, before sinking into their skin, sending them a sharp jolt of pain, but it faded quickly. The last bits of the strange energy dissolved into them.

Dusty looked at Thyra as it finished, or thought it was finished, and she returned the shocked expression, "What just happened?"

She shrugged, examining her hands as if she would find a clue. "I have absolutely no idea."

They heard the breaking of branches as the entrance of the cave was pushed aside, and Dark and Pulse walked in, with three curious horses behind them, wondering what was happening to their riders.

"Hey guys! The cave wall just zapped us." Thyra greeted like it was no big deal.

Pulse turned her head curiously, as she nuzzled her.

Dark was sniffing Dusty over, when he grabbed at his chest, as his heart stopped.

Thyra found herself leaning against Pulse as a huge pain hit her as well. The dragons growled, worried for their riders.

"Damn it, What now?" Dusty said through gritted teeth as his heard started again, but this time it felt like it was on fire.

"Can't we ever...get a break?" Thyra panted as the pain intensified.

Dusty fell to the ground as his body seared with burning pain, he wrapped his arms around himself and laid against Dark, knowing Thyra would want Pulse.

Pulse cood in worry for her rider, who was gritting her teeth against the pain as she sunk to her knees.

Dusty sunk all the way to the ground, as a black mist slowly started circling his right hand, and jumped into Darks chest, who roared out in pain.

Pulse saw what happened, and then she saw a black mist come out of Thyra's hand, so she tried to lean out of the way, but it shot right to her chest nonetheless, causing her to yowl in pain.

The horses started to panic, but their loyalty to their hurting riders kept them in place, as another mist circled above them, split into three, and shot into the horses' own chests.

They let out shrill whinnies of pain and sunk to their knees, snorting.

Dusty slowly got his breathing back under control as the pain lessened, still shaking, he got to his knees, and pulled himself next to Thyra.

She groaned, shaking her head as the pain eased a little. "You alright?" she managed to ask.

"Yeah, you?" He asked.

She nodded, the pain lessening more. "Think so." she glanced at the animals, who seemed to be fine now. 

"Ok then, what the fucking hell was that!"

"hell is accurate." she grumbled. "That stuff felt like it came straight from Helheim."

"I'll have to agree with you there." He said

"You guys ok?" Thyra asked, looking at Pulse and the horses. Pulse gave her a lick in response.

Dark nuzzled Dusty for his answer, "Well, we"re all ok, so what was the point of all that?"

"I have no idea. Nothing bad, I hope."

Dusty pushed himself up, and didn't notice the black mist, in straight lines, spinning around his hands.

Thyra sat up as well, but a faint tingling brought her attention to her hands, so she glanced at them, just to see a black mist spinning just in front of her palms, but not touching her. She let out a quiet "Whoa." as it dimmed slightly.

A glint in the corner of her eye made her reach out and push her knife back down with one hand, she was busy examining the other.

Dusty looked down as he felt the same tingling sensation, "What the?" is all he said, before the black mist coated his hand, and started moving up his arm.

Once again, a glint caught Thyra's attention, and she pressed the knife down again, still watching the mist spin around her hands. When it raised for a third time, that was when she looked over, annoyed.

She blinked in surprise. "What in the name of Thor?!" her knife was floating at eye level by itself, in one position. But now, as if realising her attention was on it, it started spinning around, like she usually does when she's holding it.

The most coated both his hands and arms and was spreading across Dusty's chest , but somehow, he didn't panic, didn't feel afraid, he just let it do it's thing. It spread down his stomach to his legs and feel, and then wrapped around his head, as it took shape, leather metal and scales covered him, as it made him a new set of armor.

Thyra watched as all her throwing knives rose up around her, and started spinning really fast. They slowed their spinning, but now the blades were coated in bright blue fire. She looked in amazement as the handles re-rapped themselves, they had been damaged a few days ago,

Dusty pulled his new helmet off, which looked exactly like his old helmet, the same with the armor, except it was stronger than anyone could ever had made it, he glanced over at Thyra, and watched in awe as her knives were floating around her.

She spun in a circle, watching them with a grin as they did their own unique things. "Are you seeing this?!" she laughed, spreading out her hand to catch a knife. She found it around her fingers, still on fire, before tossing it back up into the sir, where it rejoined its fellow knives. She grinned, and looked at Dusty.

"Wow, nice armour!" she added, noticing it.

"Thanks, what're your knives doing?"

"Honestly, I don't know!" she laughed, opening a palm and looking at a particular knife. It floated down into her hand obediently and she examined the blue flames.

Dusty felt something on his left hip, he looked down as a sheath finished appearing, and he gripped the hilt of the sword in it, and pulled it out, "Thyra, look at this." He says as he looks at the blade, it was even lighter than the Gronckle Iron sword Hiccup made for him, but it looked just as durable.

She only got a glimpse of him, before a black mist swirled up her form, and when it formed, she examined herself, surprised. She was decked in new black scaled armour, with blue and purple patterns through it, shaped like a night fury's tail. She glanced at her staff, and picked it up. It was smaller, and she was confused, until she pushed a button and it slid out of itself, extending. The tip was also coated in blue flames, and as she spun the new spear around herself, she found that the fire didn't blow out, and that it was lighter.

"Whoa!" she muttered.

"Thats a nice feature." Dusty said to her

"I know, right?!" she looked at the hook, and it lit itself on fire.

Dusty did a few swings with his sword, and sheathed it, before feeling something on his back, he reached back and un-shouldered a longbow, except this one was made of black scales and durable metal, he hit a button on the grip, and it collapsed on itself, easily able to fit in his pocket. It was lighter and would be able to survive a fire.

Thyra felt the back of her shield, and she grabbed it, examining it. It was silver, with the Night Fury head and swords still on it, in black. It was reinforced, lighter, like Dusty's, but the notable new feature was the black mist that formed around it when she held it up. She faked blocking someone, and the most spread out, a powerful bang sounding as rocks we're blown from the cave wall, and dust fell down from the ceiling. "Whoa!" she exclaimed. "Now, that could be useful!"

Dusty drew an arrow back, to test the draw weight of the bow, and the arrow he had lit on fire, except the flame wasn't red, it was black. He released the tension on the bo2, and the flame died out, he had a thought, he shouldered his bow and drew his sword, and with a quick thought in his head, it was set aflame, and Like he thought, the fire was black, "I'm speechless right now." Dusty said out loud.

Thyra gave an impressed whistle, and transformed her shield into the crossbow. She drew out a bolt and locked it into place. It lit on fire immediately, the flame was blue and hot. "Alright, this is pretty cool!" Thyra exclaimed, unengaging the crossbow and looking at the still floating knives. She imagined the knives returning to her, and they all did, sliding back into place and extinguishing their fires.

A small growl earned their attention, and they turned to see the dragons looking at them a little confused. The dragons had light and shiny armour covering them. Dark's armour was midnight black, while Pulse's was dark grey and a little blue in places. They both had a little on their heads, wings, and tail. They had some underneath them, and on their back. Pulse gave a confused growl, looking at her tail, while Dark was pawing at his armour in curiosity.

"Wow, what's next?" Dusty asked

Pulse lifted her tail and crooned. The armour covering it disappeared and she cocked her head to the side. She started at her tail, and the armour reappeared. She started 'spamming' her tail armour, flicking it in and off seemingly by thought. She hopped around, watching with a gummy grin as she summoned it on and off.

Dark looked back at himself, coo's something, and his armor disappeared.

The horses started neighing in a slight panic, causing Thyra and Dusty to look at them.

The horses were also covered in armour. It wrapped around their chest and stretched back, wrapping around them. It went up their necks, but none if it looked heavy.

The armor matched their coats, was highly durable and was very light, the saddles were reinforced and much more comfortable for both rider and horse.

"Thyra, from the way things have gone, somebody wants us to win." Dusty says as he raised his mask.

"Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised. But that doesn't mean the other sides aren't going through similar stuff. We can't get cocky about this, it could be the death of us." she replied, the smallest bit paranoid.

"Agreed, well it doesn't seem well need that village, nor would anyone else, after we grab some supplies."

"Yeah! A little raid will be fun!" Thyra shrugged,

Dusty laughed, "We haven't had that much fun in awhile, but since we're in Roman territory, well have to deal with the town watch, and anyone wanting to play hero."

"Yes, and we know what playing hero turns out like!" Thyra teases.

"We still have to scout it out, so we might have to go in undercover like the old days."

"Ah, the simpler days!" Thyra sighs with a grin. "Feels like years ago."

"Well, let's get ready, we should arrive sometime before noon tomorrow." Dusty says, walking out of the cave.

----------

The sun was high above them in the sky as Thyra and Dusty rode their horses down an empty road. The horses weren't wearing their armour, and neither were their riders, just in case they came across the settlement earlier than expected.

"Every damn story I heard about black magic framed it as evil, it's been opposite of that so far, it's gonna keep us alive." Dusty says to Thyra

"I know! This stuff is more like a gift than a curse." Thyra replied, throwing a knife up into the air, it caught on fire and spun around them twice before she returned it to its place.

"You know, I still need to perfect these wrist-blades of mine, and I'm thinking of having something else to fight with." Dusty said.

"Well this village could be useful to hone your skills. Any idea of what you want?" Thyra responded thoughtfully.

"Something like a throwing knife, or something like that, I don't know." Dusty answers.

"Cool!" Thyra said. "I can totally see you with a throwing knife."

They continued down the road and a wooden gate appeared on the horizon.

"Looks like we're here, and just to let you know, men won't give you any respect, and will expect you to do what your told, and I know you're not like that."

"What's new?" Thyra responds with a sigh. "I'll do my best not to kill the first person I see that disrespects me."

"I'll deal with them, let's just not do anything stupid till nightfall, it's midday right now." Dusty informed her.

She nodded in agreement.

"Now, instead of a chief, they have a governor, and they usually just protect themselves, and are related to the Emporer. So this is where the true war against the Roman Empire begins, and you can torture the guy if you want, but I get the killing blow, ok?"

"Sure!" Thyra agrees. "I think I can handle that."

They approached the gate, and the four guards stopped us, "What's your business here?"

"Doesn't matter, cause it ain't your business, it's ours!" Thyra replies sassily.

The guards were shocked that a woman was talking to them, and she was basically telling them to back off. "Watch your mouth woman!"

She scoffed. "Sorry that I'm smart enough to think for myself!"

"And you better watch how you talk to her, cause if she doesn't kill you, I will!" Dusty says to the guards.

Two men opened the gate, "Get inside the damn town and if you don't learn your place, you'll learn it in the cells!"

Thyra gave a smug smile as she urged Misty on through the gates, sitting taller.

"Damn Romans." Dusty said to her.

She laughed. "I'm pretty sure a woman has never spoken to them like I just did."

"No, let's find an Inn and get some rest, this town isn't gonna exist tomorrow." Dusty said, as they bumped into a lone beggar.

They arrived at an inn near the governor's house, and went in to have lunch, they sat down and had drinks on the way, when, as usual, a man walked up to them.

Thyra straight up slammed her head on the table in exasperation, before sitting up and plastering on a smile.

Dusty gave her 'are you ok?' look, as the guy said, "Hey babe, wanna chat?"

"Not really." She replies to the man.

"Alright, have a good meal." And he walked off.

"Whoa. I wasn't expecting it to be that easy!" Thyra muttered to Dusty, surprised.

"Neither was I" Dusty whispered back, as their lunch arrived.

They eat their meals relatively quickly, not wanting to be interrupted by any idiots,

Once they finished, they headed up to the room they were staying in, and sat down to relax, "Uhhh...wish the sun would set a little quicker." Dusty groaned out loud.

"I know what you mean." Thyra replied.

Dusty laid down in the bed, and slowly dozed off, Thyra right next to him.

—- —- —-

Dusty looked out their window as the sun set, and shook Thyra awake. "C'mon Thy, time to go to work."

She sprung awake and pressed her knife to his neck, before withdrawing once her brain woke up. "Oops, Sorry!" She laughed.

Dusty laughed, "I love you too." and he gave her a kiss.

She chuckled and put away the knife. "Yeah, yeah. Let's go!"

Dusty used his magic and his armor and weapons appeared on him, and he flipped his mask up.

Thyra followed suit and nodded at him. 'Really convenient, isn't it?" She noted.

"Yeah it is, let's out and start working." He said, as he opened the door to their room, and drawing his sword.

Thyra followed him, her dagger clutched in her hand while two hovered above her, ready to act.

Dusty looked over his shoulder at her, "guess we have some little friends eh?"

She laughed quietly and nodded. "Bit of back up, I suppose." She grinned.

Dusty comes down the stairs, into the full dining room, full of people from drunkards to town watch having dinner, they all stared at the two black figures as they came down the stairs.

All of them were watching the two knives floating by Thyra.

"Hi." She greets, waving. The knives moved closer to them threateningly.

The four town watch troops jump up and draw their daggers, and move towards them.

Thyra and Dusty got ready to fight.

The four men rushed them, and Thyra dodged a swipe, stabbing one right through the chest. She turned and saw the two knives sail through two of the other guys' throats, while Dusty sunk his sword into the final man's stomach.

"Well, would anyone else like to test us?" Thyra grinned as the knives returning to their positions above her head.

Dusty sheathed his sword, and instead extended his wrist-blades, "Think these two will do the job?" He asked Thyra.

"Yeah they will!" Thyra answered enthusiastically.

Dusty grabbed the first man he could, and brought the blade to his neck, "Where's the governer?"

Thyra killed three people before walking up to one, and pinning him against the wall. "You heard him." She threatened, holding up her dagger.

The man Dusty had spat in his face, and gave him an idea, "Thy, kill him and come over here, I want everyone to know we aren't here to play around."

Thyra didn't hesitate to slit her guys throat, before walking over to Dusty.

"Can you have all your friends torture the guy till he tells us something useful?"

Thyra grinned excitedly, and snapped her fingers. All her throwing knives and her dagger appeared around her in the air, on fire. Then she nodded, and one by one they attacked the guy. The first one sliced his calf, and all he did was grunt. The next sliced his arm, but stayed long enough to burn, so the guy whimpered. Then the next knife sliced into his stomach, piping hot. The guy couldn't hold back his scream of pain. But he didn't speak until four knives stabbed him at once in different body parts.

Dusty stood next to the door, so no one could leave.

One of the knives decided it would cut off the guy's hair, while another stabbed into him continuously. The guy was a whimpering, bloody, crying mess.

"You could just talk, you know." Thyra grinned. "Wouldn't that be easier?"

Dusty looked out the door, just at the right moment to see the governer walking into his house, "Hey Thy, we got him, let's burn the place."

"Now, THAT sounds fun!" Thyra grinned. She clicked her fingers, and all her knives stabbed the victim in vital places, before returning to their holsters. Thyra turned to Dusty, signalling she was ready to go.

Dusty nodded, and pulled out a small container, he lit it with the firestone on his wrist, and sparks flew out of it as he tossed it in, "let's go, we got ten seconds."

Thyra nodded, following him out.

As Dusty extended his bow, the Inn exploded in a column of flames, stretching into the sky

Thyra grinned, seeing the destruction. "That outta make a statement. Shall we find the governor?"

They make it to the front door, as a guard opens it from the inside to see what the explosion was, Dusty beheads him with his wrist-blades and kicks the door in.

"We're home!" Thyra calls out to the governor.

The only person in front of them is a girl, no older than 12, screaming and charging them with a daggur

Thyra raises an eyebrow, extends her staff, and slices right through the girl's stomach. "Good try." She tells the girl with a role of her eyes, watching the light leave her eyes.

The governor walks in, not realising what's going on, and freezes.

"Hello Governer, nice to see you, have you met our little friends?"

Thyra's knives rose up into the air dauntingly.

"Bla...bla..Black magic!" The governer yells, as he tried to run.

Thyra's dagger buried itself in his knee, forcing him to stumble to the ground. "Where do you think you're going?!" Thyra asked the governor.

The Governer turned around and threw a daggur right at Dusty, but it stops a foot from his head, and spins around back toward the governer, going into his stomach, he yelled in pain.

"I can do it too idiot." Dusty told the governer, as he brought his blade to his neck, "now, I know you don't know me, but your brother ordered for my family to be killed, think of this as the beginning of payback." and he slit his throat.

He turned toward Thyra, "You ready?"

"Of course!" She replies.

They stepped outside and gave their dragon roars, and two others responded, and within seconds, plasma blasts shot down from above, and more fires started in the town, as alarms sound.

Dusty put his mask up, and gave Thyra a smile, "Good to be back doing this, eh?"

"I have to agree with ya!" Thyra responds with a grin. "Ready to leave this dump?"

Dusty grabbed her hand, "Yes I am, and you know that armor makes you look all the more beautiful?"

She smiles at him. "No, I did not know that, mister! But your armour's certainly not making you look worse!"

Dusty laughed and pulled her into his embrace, "I wouldn't have done this with anyone but you."

"Same here!" Thyra smiles at him. "You make it a lot more fun. But let's go, before we get stuck here!"

He nods and whistles, Blackwater and Misty, with their armor on, comes around the corner, and they neigh a greeting to them.

"Alright Girl, let's go." Dusty says as he mounts Blackwater.

Thyra jumps onto Misty and urges her on.

They gallop out of the burning town, a light black mist following the horses for a few feet, before dissipating.