(3/5) RTTE Seasons 3 & 4 (AMDH)

Metal Madness

"Why should I tell them you sent me? I thought it is well-known through the entire tribe that we are married?" Ann put her questionmarks at his explanation. "It is, mostly. Not all posts have been informed yet." Viggo told her. "Why not?" Ann was stunned to hear that from him. 

"I have not been able to contact each post yet, but with this particular post I have done that on purpose. The reason for that is to protect anyone from getting their hands on the materials. They are rare and a lot of people will tell a lie to have a chance of getting them, making a lot of money if they manage to sell it." Viggo said and it made sense actually.

"So what will make them believe that I am your wife?" Ann had to know how she would be trusted with the valueble materials. Viggo wrote something down on a piece of paper, making it authentic with his signature. "Give them this and they will know. If not, send a message to Ryker to join up with you." He instructed her. They said their goodbyes with a kiss as Ann would go back out to the seas to get what her husband needs for his plan. She hoped with all her heart that it would work this time.

She soon arrived at the mines that Viggo had pointed out on the maps. "Halt! Who are you?" A Hunter wtih a crossbow approached her. "I am Ann Grimborn, wife of Viggo Grimborn. I am here to collect the malachite that is to be mined here and bring it to the iron macons at the western islands." Ann said as static as she could to represent Viggo, but the Hunter did not buy it.

"You are just a profiteer, just like all others. Now leave." He aimed his crossbow at her and seemed to not hesitate to shoot her if he had to. Ann had to watch her steps now. "I am not like 'all those other'. I can show you. This is a note from my husband." She handed the note over and the Hunter took it, reading it through.

His eyes then widened in realization when he saw Viggo's signature. "Ma'am, I'm sorry. I did not know Viggo was married. Since when are you..." "A few months now. Now, why not show me the resources I came for and I'll have them transported to the western islands?" Ann demanded to see the collected ingredients and move on.

"The thing is, ma'am, we have not been able to find that much over the last days. Resources are slowly dying out on this island. It may be a few more days until we have enough to make the order Viggo has given us. Please, why won't you stay with us while we finish mining?" The Hunter offered her. "I appreciate your offer, but there are also a few other places I have to visit to collect the other ingredients..." Ann turned around and wanted to walk back to her ship, when the Hunter called her back.

"Do you mean you still need to pick up the hafnium? It has been shipped to us, in fact it arrived yesterday!" He called out and Ann stopped in her tracks, looking back at the Hunter. "Can you show me to confirm it?" She sounded a little harsh, but the man didn't mind. Viggo could be worse. "Please, follow me, ma'am." He said and led the way. 

He showed her the cargo of hafnium when they arrived. For a metal that is so rare, there was quite the amount of it. "Very well. I accept your offer. How many days do you think it will take you to collect the required amount Viggo has given you?" She asked. "Give us a week. That should be more than enough time. I don't even think it will take that long." The Hunter answered.

After a few days of collecting all the necessary, Ann made her way to the location Viggo had told her to drop off all the ingredients for the Dragon proof metal. There, she ran into her brother. "Hey! You are already done with gathering enough Gronckles?" She asked as she walked up to him and gave him a hug.

"Well, I managed to round up some Gronckles, but I hope you had more luck than I had." Ryker mumbled and complained. "How come?" Ann crossed her arms. "Argh, we came across some strange guy. I didn't see the man's face, but his voice sounded familiar. We captured his green Gronckle and brought it here, leaving that guy to rot in the ocean." Ryker told his little sister.

"A green Gronckle, you say? Quite the unique color. Bet you just wanted to kill it and skin it?" Ann frowned at her brother in her typical 'I know you' face. "When do I now want to kill and skin a dragon?" Ryker kept on complaining, while Ann just had to laugh about him.

"What do you say about going home, sis?" Ryker gave her the choice. Ann looked back to the working area behind them. "Hmm, why don't you go back to the ship already? I would like to take a look around and see the making of all that metal." She said. "Fine with me! I can use a nap anyway. Has been quite a few days that I did not get much rest." Ryker stretched out and walked back to the village.

Ann wandered around the working place more as the night fell and the torched were lit. "Looks good. It's really making progress." Ann said as she was with a guard. "Yes, ma'am. We are doing our best to get the required materials done as soon as possible." He chuckled as Ann suddenly heard something coming from behind them. "I'm coming, baby! Hold on!" 

Ann recognized the voice straight away. "Dagur!" She turned around and wanted to run towards him, giving him what he deserved after he fled from Viggo's command. "Ma'am, wait! Let us handle this." He said and ran towards the commotion. 

Ann followed, but remained hidden. "Stay back! I only want my dragon and I'll leave in peace." Dagur yelled out as he took a quick look at his green Gronckle, that waggled his tail quickly as it realized its rider was there to get him. The men that were guarding the Gronckles were ready to get Dagur. "Think you mean pieces." A Hunter said while he drew his sword.

Out of nowhere, a plasma blast was fired and knocked over a few other Hunters that were behind him. Dagur laughed as crazy as he always does and went in for the charge. As Dagur went full Berserker mode, the Night Fury and Razorwhip gave him back-up, knocking every Hunter in the area to the ground.

Dagur knocked out the two Hunters that were in front of him pretty easily when he charged in. "That feels so good, reminds me of my youth!" Dagur told himself and turned back to his dragon, but a Hunter came running up to him again. The green dragon tucked on its chain, causing it to launch the Hunter backwards into the water.

"Shattermaster!" Dagur greeted his dragon with open arms and a big hug after he threw his weapons to the side. He took a look at the chains to get them lose, but a Hunter tried to stop him. "You are not going anywhere, with or without that dragon." The Hunter held his two-bladed axe up. "Then you'll have to kill me." Dagur was ready to do the same as well. "Oh, that's a given." The Hunter promised to kill Dagur if he could.

the Hunter raised his axe above the head and charged at Dagur. Dagur dodged the attack and the axe dug its way into the wooden planks. However, the Hunter quickly anticipated to the dodge and kicked Dagur in the side, making him fall to the ground. 

On the ground, Dagur quickly grabbed a sword that was in range, but the Hunter was too fast and kicked Dagur down again. With Dagur on the ground, the Hunter had every chance to kill him. Raising the axe above the head again, the Hunter was going to strike him this time and end his life, but...

A tail beat the axe out of his hands! Looking up, the Hunter stood eye to eye with the Razorwhip. The dragon gave him one more whack with the tail and sent the Hunter flying through the sky, pinning him high up in a tree with some spines. 

Ann watched the whole scene hiding behind a few barrels, trying to stay quiet and not be busted. It took her a while before she found the opportunity to get away from it. Only after the Riders had left, it was Ryker who was calling out for her. "Ann! Ann, where are you?" He looked around everywhere for her after he heard the commotion. "Ann, come out! Wherever you are, it is safe now." 

Ann quickly got out of her hiding place and ran up to him. "There you are." Ryker breathed out of relief when she crashed into his arms. "I was afraid something might have happened to you again." He held her close. "I'm fine, but I've been trapped there for some time already. The Riders have freed all the Gronckles and got away." Ann told him while she held on to him.

"Don't worry. I am taking you back to Viggo immediately and send out the rest of our fleet to look for them and get those Gronckles back. We still need those beasts to finish the production of that dragon-proof metal." Ryker promised her as he brought her back to the ship.