A/N: I still can't believe I'm halfway done with this story, I'm gonna miss it when it's done. Unfortunately, this chapter is gonna be a short one, simply because I won't have time to update later on today due to spending Easter with my family. Anyway, chapter wise, although it's short, it gets to point of Raya accepting the fact she needs to let go of the past and to see all of Kumandra united as one. Now then, onwards!

(Normal pov— Heart Nation)

"Sisu! Where are you taking us?"

The rains continued to fall down as Sisu treaded through the sky with all haste, and despite her talkative nature, Sisu was dead silent. Hiccup was on edge noting how they were in thick clouds which blocked their line of sight, he looked to Raya and saw her face twisted with frustration, she was expecting Sisu to give her an answer, but she was given only silence. Eventually, they emerged out of the clouds and laid eyes on a massive mountain that was shaped like a heart with a massive palace built within it, and below the large mountain were now long deserted structures where the imperial citizens of Heart Nation resided in. Sisu growled lightly as she ascended to the mountain, Hiccup looked to the bridge that connected the imperial city to the mainland and laid eyes on several stone statues of men and women, he then looked to Raya who was looking at a very specific individual encased in stone, it was a man, and by the look of hurt on Raya's face, Hiccup had an inkling that the man Heart's princess was looking at was her father.

She was fortunate to still have a father and her people. Although they were either encased in stone or under the thrall of the Druun, there was hope that Raya would be reunited with her father and her people.

And that made Hiccup envious.

Upon reaching the top of the mountain, there was a structure up top that was in shambles, long forgotten, and covered in thick moss and vines. Descending to the structure, Hiccup and Raya slid off of Sisu's back and took in their surroundings, but Heart's princess then turned to the water dragon. "Sisu, why did you bring us here?"

"This is where it all happened."

A sharp sting of pain struck Raya as she replied back. "Yeah, I know," the memories of loss, betrayal, anger, and distrust came rushing back with the force of a tidal wave. "I was there when our world fell into further disarray."

"No," Sisu approached a wall that was split open and had long vines blocking the entrance within the wall. "This is where it all happened five hundred years ago." Ripping down the vines, Sisu revealed another dragon native to Kumandra that was encased in stone, the sight caused both Raya and Hiccup to gasp softly before approaching the wall. "I'd like you two to meet my brothers and sisters. The real mighty ones," the water dragon then added with a hitch in her voice. "I miss them."

"I never knew they were here," Raya exhaled in disbelief. "Let alone this structure." She then formed her hands in the shape of a gem and bowed her head in respect to the dragon encased in stone. Following Raya's example, Hiccup did the same as a show of respect, by no means did he or the Viking people worship dragons, but they were still worthy of respect, living or otherwise.

Turning around, Sisu smiled before speaking. "You see that one over there? That's Amba. I get my glow from her," the water dragon then pointed out to another one of her sisters. "That's Pranee. She's a shapeshifter."

Hiccup then noted two dragons that looked similar to Sisu's sisters, yet they clearly weren't. "I take it that these last two are your brothers?" The water dragon nodded at Hiccup, smiling as she named her brothers.

"Jagan, he has control of fog," Sisu then turned to the last of her siblings and placed a paw on the dragon's chest. "And this is Pengu. He's our big brother. He brings the rain. And we were the last dragons in Kumandra the first time the Druun nearly conquered this world." Lowering her head for a moment, a low growl rumbled from Sisu's throat before she told the story of what she and her siblings did to save Kumandra five centuries ago. "All the other dragons had either been reduced to stone or had been taken by the Druun and were mindless puppets to be controlled. We were all drowning in a sea of Druun; man and dragon afflicted by the entity that commands the Druun as a whole. In its true form, the entity nearly devoured us and our world. But my oldest brother Pengu refused to accept defeat. Where you two are standing is where my siblings and I made our last stand against the entity and the Druun... together, united as one. So, one by one, they combined all of their magic, creating the Dragon Gem. I don't know why they chose me. It could've been any of us. All I know is I trusted them... and they trusted me. And so... the entity and the Druun were expelled from this world and Kumandra was saved from their darkness."

Raya and Hiccup were left speechless, they shared a quick look before turning back to Sisu. "When my siblings put their faith in me, it empowered me beyond anything I could ever imagine," the water dragon then turned to Raya and spoke firmly. "The same can happen with Namaari and all of Kumandra. You just need to take a leap."

Releasing a heavy sigh, Heart's princess considered Sisu's words before replying. "I truly wish I can believe that. Namaari wasn't just my best friend as a child, as time passed, I... felt something for her. Something more than just friendship—"

"You loved her," Hiccup said, causing the princess to turn to the Viking. Narrowing his eyes, Hiccup then stated. "You still do. Don't you?"

Looking down, Raya kicked a pebble and nodded. "Besides my parents, Namaari was the one person I loved more than anyone or anything in this world," she then released a shaky exhale. "But when she betrayed me, I... my heart shattered, and I lost my faith and trust in her. Ironically, I never lost my love for her."

"After all of this, you can tell her how you feel."

Snorting at Sisu's words, Raya then challenged. "Even if I told Namaari how I feel and even if she was willing to help us, how could I possibly trust her?"

"But if somehow you could, you wouldn't just bring your ba back," Sisu then added. "You'd also bring back his dream. Kumandra."

Raya was torn, facing internal conflict that was threatening to drive her mad; she wanted to believe Sisu and follow her advice but that pit of hatred in her heart beckoned her to ignore such counsel and to cling to her pain, sorrow, and hatred. She then looked at Hiccup with teary eyes, silently inquiring what she should do.

"Take a leap," Hiccup shrugged. "I turned my world upside down when I bonded with the last Night Fury in Midgard, the dragon who was not only my best friend but also the means of bridging coexistence with Vikings and dragons after three hundred years of war against each other. Now you too need to take a leap, Raya."

Considering Hiccup's words, Heart's princess looked outside, specifically on the bridge where her father was. She then looked to Sisu, silently asking her to take her down. Obliging the princess and her silent request, the water dragon had the princess and Viking climb on her back as they descended from the mountain and onto the bridge. Raya slid off of Sisu's back and approached her father once they touched down on the bridge, the princess noted how several white lotus flowers were scattered along the bridge. Crouching down to pick one of the flowers up, Raya placed the lotus in her father's cupped hands, before forming her hands into the shape of a gem and bowing her head. The tears she had fought to keep at bay finally spilled down Raya's cheeks as she then released a shaky exhale and inquired out loud. "Do you think he would even recognize me?" She then continued while wiping away her tears. "So much has changed over the years."

"Of course, he'll remember you," Sisu reassured. "You're his daughter. And parent never forgets their child."

Sisu's words struck Hiccup to his core, they reminded him of the day his mother had kidnaped him and had taken him to her Dragon Sanctuary. After twenty long years, Hiccup had his mother again, only to lose her again, for good. He cursed under his breath and his hands clenched into fists as he remembered how Drago raped his mother to within an inch of her life, he would deal with Drago soon enough for that grievous offense and all that followed, all in good time.

"You remind me of him," Raya finally said, looking at Sisu with a light smile. "Like you, he was hopeful of a better future for our people and our lands; to set aside old hatreds and to come together as one." Taking her father's hands in her own, Raya lowered her head and pursed her lips in thought before turning her head to Sisu. "How would I even approach Namaari after all that has happened?"

Smiling, Sisu replied. "It may feel impossible, but sometimes, you just have to take the first step," the dragon then turned to Hiccup and nodded. "Take a leap, even before you're ready. Trust me. Trust us." Referring to both herself and Hiccup, Sisu watched as Raya considered her words, pondering on whether or not to accept the fact that old hatreds will only bring an end to Kumandra or that unity will save it. Turning back to her father, Raya recalled his words to her on the day their world was plunged into despair once again.

"If we don't stop and learn to trust one another again, it's only a matter of time before we tear each other apart. This isn't the world I want you to live in. I believe we can be Kumandra again. But someone has to take the first step."

With a sigh, Raya knew that Sisu and Hiccup's counsel was wise, their words only reinforced what her father had told her all those years ago.

It was time to take a leap.

"Okay. We'll go with your plan."

Sisu's eyes widened in shock. "What? My plan?" the dragon then began to exclaim in excitement. "You're going to enact my plan?"

"Yes."

Laughing, Sisu pressed her face into Raya's chest, showing affectionate gratitude. "All right! You won't regret this, Raya, I promise," the dragon spoke in a more serious tone. "But we're going to need a very good gift. What do you think she's into? Cats? Knives? Cats with knives? Knives with little cats on them?"

"Actually, I know exactly what to give her," Raya reassured the rambling Sisu before brandishing her gift. "Exactly what she gave me as a child." It was the gilded pendant of Sisudatu, the very same one Namaari had gifted to Raya the day she betrayed her. The princess then looked at Hiccup and smiled at him. "Are you ready for what's to come?"

Nodding firmly, Hiccup replied. "While you sway Namaari and her people to join us, I'll be dealing with Drago's warlords, when Chagatai Khan and Griselda the Grievous have fallen, it will only further weaken Drago and his junta; those of high position will fight among themselves to take up the title of warlord and sow anarchy among their ranks. Which will give us a substantial advantage over the Northern Alliance. But we must move swiftly, Drago won't stand idle in Fang Nation for long, he's going to finish his genocidal campaign here sooner rather than later before moving on to another foreign land and doing the exact same thing. Drago won't be leaving these lands alive, however, I intend to take everything away from that vile monster, then and only then will I kill him."

"Of that, I have no doubt," Raya said before turning back to Sisu. "We should rejoin the others. Once we're reunited, we'll go over how we'll get into Fang's imperial city and how Hiccup and I will infiltrate the palace."

"As you command, Princess Raya," Sisu said playfully, but also seriously. "Let's go." Both the princess and Viking climbed on top of Sisu's back and the dragon then summoned the rain to fall once more so that she could ascend to the heavens to that they could regroup with their friends who were waiting for them.

Raya took one last glance behind her, taking in the sight of her home and her father before poking Hiccup's side, causing the Viking to look at the princess. "How do you plan on dealing with these two warlords exactly?"

"I'll deal with them in a Viking manner; we have a way of executing royal blood, and since Chagatai is of Mongol royalty, he will receive a grotesque death. Griselda too, though she's not royalty, she'll meet a gruesome end," Hiccup then looked ahead and said firmly. "Blood must have blood. And every member of the Northern Alliance will see their debt paid. I'll see to it personally."

A/N: Next chapter is gonna have some smutty goodness and some gruesome deaths. Trust me, you won't want to miss the next chapter!