Empire at war (A Httyd Fanfiction)

Chapter 25: Storm of blood

A/N: Only five chapters left, nearly there guys! So the sea battle I have in mind is inspired by 300: Rise of an Empire, the outnumbered Vikings lend ships Viggo and Ryker used, those ships are some of my favorite in the Httyd universe because they're built to smash through anything that stands in their path, and these ships are going to be what inflicts heavy losses to the Stormheart's fleet, as well as their warlord allies. Anyway, onwards to the next chapter!

(Normal pov— Denmark)

The howling and snarls of pack hunters filled the ears of Dahlia the Dark One, though the sounds she hears are from hunters that she is unfamiliar with, and she certainly is not willing to stick around and find out what has picked up her scent. She had fled the city after cursing Nikora and Eir Stormheart, now she is being hunted like an animal so that she can lift the curse off the foreign rulers that have invaded Scandinavia.

Currently, the witch was draped in heavy furs and running towards the beach that leads far beyond the capital city, Dahlia would come to this beach often for peace, now it stood as her salvation as she ran straight towards a grotto that contained more Viking ships that were left behind. Dahlia did not need a warship, a simple drekar would suit her needs of escaping Denmark and flee to Greenland where her Blood King and Queen resided. While acquiring the drekar and setting it out to sea, the witch laid eyes on large, dog-like, carnivores that were accompanied by the foreigners who took the Viking capital. Snickering to herself, Dahlia knew they were pursuing her and that her rulers who deal with them and send a message to all of Midgard that attempting to tear down the Scandinavian Empire was a fool's gambit and would not go unanswered.

Reaching for a satchel, Dahlia grabbed handfuls of gold and other treasures while also praying to Njǫrd to bless her ship with much-needed speed, though the riches she held were not nearly enough to appease the god of wind and sea, it would have to do for the time being.

A smile crept across Dahlia's lips as the winds gained and provided her ship with the speed she needed to flee from the hordes of foreigners who hunted her. They were after her to bring her back to their masters so that she could break the curse she had cast, no doubt. But Dahlia would show Nikora and Eir no mercy, she would inflict terrible suffering on the two foreigners, providing her Blood King and Queen the advantage they needed to defeat them and avenge the thousands of Scandinavians who perished at the hands of this coalition of foreigners.

(Within the fallen Viking capital city)

The hunting party sent to track down Dahlia returned to the Viking capital city and informed their masters that the witch fled their grasp. Upon hearing this, Eir turned to the Mongrels who followed her and ordered them to prepare their ships and be ready to pursue Dahlia, knowing that she would not only lead them to break the curse she cast upon them but their father's killer as well. Nikora, however, pleaded with her sister that an action born out of impatience could cost them dearly, but Nikora's words fell on deaf ears as Eir prepared the Mongrels who followed her and she prepared Atilla and his hordes of Huns to join her as well.

"I tire of you preaching of patience Nikora," Eir snarled out, "we are here standing idle while a witch holds our lives in our hands, and yet you would dare tell me that patience is the best course of action?!"

"You would rather take a significant amount of our warriors and those who follow the warlords to pursue Haddock out of blind rage—"

"No, I wish to be free of the curse that witch has placed upon us!" Eir corrected. "I'm going to end this, with or without you," the Mongrel princess turned to one of her top commanders and gave them orders, "ready my troops and armor. We're going to follow that witch to our true prey, and crush Haddock and his pack of dogs beneath our heels."