[Timeskip – Two Years Later]
I sat astride the Skrill as it cut through the clouds, bolts of static dancing along its scales. Below, the sea stretched endlessly, broken only by scattered islands dotting the horizon—remnants of what little resistance remained.
Two years had passed. In that time, my power had barely grown—not because I lacked the will, but because I lacked worthy foes. No one had been strong enough to challenge me. The archipelago was quiet, subdued. Of the dozens of islands I'd claimed, barely a handful had any real human presence, and even fewer had any warriors worth fighting.
There were eleven tribes in total: the Hooligans, Outcasts, Berserkers, the Northern Alliance, Defenders of the Wing, Wingmaidens, Dragon Hunters, Dingwalls, Macintoshes, and the Dunbroch, which had declared itself a kingdom. Each tribe had already surrendered a long time ago but I still needed to place my flag on their island to claim it as mine.
The system tallied the value of conquest coldly:
Kingdom: 1,000,000 points
Tribe: 100,000 points
Uninhabited or non-militant island: 10,000 points
The numbers added up. The kingdom and tribes had netted me 2 million points. The minor islands gave me another million. I had gained multiple achievements and titles which gave me another 2 million. My total now sat at 39 million system points. Still far from what I needed.
"Tch. This is taking longer than it should," I muttered, narrowing my eyes at the horizon.
My fleet had grown smaller. With each conquered island, I'd left behind men, summons, and constructs to maintain order and guard my claim. A necessary sacrifice—but one that thinned my forces with every step forward.
The next island ahead would mark the final piece of this archipelago. Once taken, the entire region would be mine. From there, I would turn my attention to the continent—a far more promising battlefield.
I had encountered several islands populated only by dragons. Curiously, they had submitted without a fight, bowing beneath my presence as though they instinctively understood what I had become.
That's when the system rewarded me with a new title—
[Title Acquired: Alpha]
Grants absolute command over dragons within a certain radius. Obedience is instinctual and immediate.
I flexed my fingers unconsciously, then reached into the folds of my cloak. My hand found the small locket I always carried. I opened it, revealing a delicate hand-painted portrait of Merida. I had painted it myself, during one of the long, silent flights between campaigns. Her smile—fierce and untamed—stared back at me, a reminder of what once was… and what still might be.
"It's only a matter of time before the world is mine," I whispered, eyes never leaving the horizon. "And when it is, I will have the ending I desire. No one will stop me."
Lightning surged beneath me as the Skrill roared, the skies parting before us. The world was vast—but I was patient. It would all fall, eventually.
….
"BWOOOOOOOM!"
The thunder of the battle horn tore through the sky, its echo rumbling across the sea like the roar of a god. I lifted my gaze as the last island came into view—barren, bleak, and waiting. This was it. The final piece of the archipelago. Once taken, this region of the world would be mine.
Riding the crackling back of my Skrill, I guided it down with precision. The wind howled as we descended, and the moment we touched ground, I raised my arm.
"Spread out. Search every inch," I ordered.
My forces moved quickly. We were few—only a few hundred men remained at my side, fifty of them summons. Behind them, a hundred dragons circled the skies or rested on blackened rocks, waiting for my command. Each island I'd claimed had depleted my numbers; I'd left behind a garrison with every conquest—a mage, a clutch of summons, and enough men to build and secure.
Even now, my father's presence lingered near. Always just a few steps behind. I could almost feel his eyes on me, hear his voice echoing in the back of my mind. "Don't cross the line, Erik. I'll be here to stop you—from doing something you'll regret."
But regret was a luxury I had long since discarded.
I turned my gaze toward the jagged cliffs rising ahead. The island looked dead, lifeless… until I caught a glimmer of ice near a shadowed cave in the mountains. My eyes narrowed. That kind of frost , unnatural—could only mean one thing: a Bewilderbeast.
And then I heard it.
Roars. Not just one or two. Not mine. Deep, wild, chaotic calls that vibrated in my bones. I turned toward the cave just as the sky darkened with movement. Not dozens. Not hundreds.
Hundreds of thousands of dragons burst from the cave, wings blotting out the sun.
Without hesitation, I leapt onto my Skrill. Lightning sparked as we surged into the air. And then—I saw them.
A lone figure rode at the front of the swarm. Mounted not on any dragon… but the dragon. The one I would never forget. The one that took my mother from me.
Veins bulged in my forehead. Rage threatened to tear through me. My vision blurred red for a moment, but I forced it down. Not now. Not yet.
I drew closer, stopping at a distance where words could pass between us. Silence held for a heartbeat, then another.
Then the rider spoke.
"Who are you—and what do you want with this island?"
I inhaled slowly, centering myself. My voice was calm, but it carried the weight of certainty.
"I am Erik Horrendous Haddock. And I have come to this island for one reason—your surrender."
They narrowed their eyes. "And what if I refuse?"
"Then you will die," I said plainly. "The dragons… they obey me. Will you?"
Confusion flickered across their face. "What are you talking about?"
I raised a single hand.
"All of you… fly down."
With that single command, every dragon in the sky—mine and theirs—shifted. Wings slowed. Claws reached for earth. And like a wave, the countless beasts landed across the barren island in eerie silence, obeying me.
The rider stared, wide-eyed, stunned. They looked around—at the dragons, at me—trying to understand what they had just witnessed.
I met their gaze, cold and unwavering.
"This world has already begun to bend to my will," I said. "And you… you're standing on the edge of it."
"I ask you again—will you surr—"
Before I could finish the sentence, my voice caught in my throat. My eyes widened in disbelief as the figure before me reached up… and removed their helmet.
It—It was her.
"M-Mother…?" I choked out. "But… how?"
She stood silently for a moment, her expression unreadable, before finally speaking.
"When I was taken by Cloudjumper… he brought me here. This island was a sanctuary. Wounded dragons, abandoned nests, younglings left to die—I saw them all. I realized then that dragons weren't just beasts or tools of war. They loved. They mourned. They protected. So I stayed. I made it my mission to help them… to protect them."
The words struck me harder than any sword. "If you were alive… why didn't you come back?" I asked, struggling to steady my voice.
Her eyes lowered. "I couldn't. I—"
"Valka?" another voice broke in, rough and trembling.
We both turned.
"Stoick…" she whispered, avoiding his eyes.
"Valka… you—you're alive," my father said, his voice cracking. The unshakable chieftain, now trembling like a leaf. He stepped forward, his hands uncertain, as if afraid she might vanish if he touched her.
The moment lingered, fragile and surreal.
[One Day Later]
Mythical Achievement Complete: Conquer an Archipelago/Continent
Reward Acquired: 100 System Tickets, 10,000,000 System Points
Current Total:
System Points: 49,000,000
System Tickets: 2,300
I stood in the heart of the island, surrounded by quiet greenery and flowing rivers—a stark contrast to the fire and blood that had marked most of my journey. Inside the great cavern, something… strange was happening.
My father had started singing.
Yes. Singing.
To my mother.
I sweatdropped. What in the nine realms is going on? Even Gobber had joined in with some off-tune harmony.
I sighed and slowly backed out. Nope. Not dealing with that.
Wandering further into the island, I marveled at how peaceful it was. Gentle hills, crystalline lakes, and strange glowing flora. It was the kind of place Merida would've loved—wild and untamed, yet beautiful in its silence.
As I explored, something massive moved in the distance. I approached cautiously and found a young Bewilderbeast, nestled near a shimmering waterfall. Ice crystals clung to the surrounding rock. It growled as I neared, low and wary, but I didn't stop.
Though it towered over me, I didn't flinch. I stood my ground.
"Come here," I said firmly.
Being a hatchling, it wasn't bound by my [Alpha] skill. It could resist.
"Tch. Baby dragons really are a nuisance," I muttered. Reaching into my inventory, I pulled out a round, golden-orange fruit and held it out.
The dragon tilted its head, sniffed… then opened its massive jaws. I tossed the fruit in. It caught it with a surprised yelp—and then its eyes sparkled in fascination.
A small, hopeful whine escaped its throat. I smiled faintly and dropped a hundred more fruits in front of it.
I'd been collecting them for someone else.
Merida.
During my conquest, I'd gathered more than weapons and victories. I had hundreds of exotic fruits, thousands of rare gems, and literal tons of gold stored in my inventory—treasures I'd hoarded with one goal in mind:
A dowry when I revive her.
I looked down at the young Bewilderbeast, happily devouring fruit. Then I opened my system interface.
"System, how far is the nearest kingdom?"
Response:
The closest kingdom is the Kingdom of Corona. Located on an island connected to a continent.
I nodded slowly, eyes narrowing in thought.
"Good… then it's time to begin preparations."
The world wouldn't conquer itself.
Note: sorry for the late update i have some stuff going on. I also have a full-time job, and it's during the night from 10:30 to 7:00 in the morning so i hope you guys understand. Thank You