BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
No—not beeping. That was the sound of his old life. Hospital monitors. Car alarms. The modern world.
This was... dripping. Water dripping from somewhere nearby. The crackle of a fire. The distant cry of seagulls.
Leonidas's eyes opened slowly.
Wooden ceiling. Thatched roof. Bundles of dried herbs hanging from rafters. The sharp, earthy smell of medicinal plants mixed with smoke from a hearth fire.
Not a hospital. Not home.
Memory flooded back. The car crash. The darkness. Waking in a dying child's body. The system. The battle memories. The Vikings discovering him.
Berk. I'm in Berk.
He tried to sit up and immediately regretted it. His body protested—not with the agonizing pain of before, but with a deep, bone-tired exhaustion. The super soldier serum and healing had done their work, but apparently his seven-year-old body still needed actual rest.
{ GOOD MORNING, SUNSHINE. OR SHOULD I SAY GOOD AFTERNOON? YOU'VE BEEN OUT FOR ABOUT FOURTEEN HOURS. }
The blue system screen materialized in front of him, translucent and glowing softly in the dim light of the hut.
"System," Leonidas whispered, his voice hoarse. "Where exactly am I?"
{ GOTHI'S HUT. THE VILLAGE HEALER. SHE'S ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD—FOR SOMEONE WORKING WITH MEDIEVAL TECHNOLOGY. SHE'S BEEN CHECKING ON YOU EVERY FEW HOURS, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW FAST YOU'RE HEALING. }
{ SPEAKING OF WHICH: YOUR WOUNDS ARE ABOUT 95% HEALED. THE SCARS WILL REMAIN—PARTICULARLY THAT DRAMATIC ONE ACROSS YOUR EYE. VERY ANIME PROTAGONIST OF YOU. }
Leonidas touched his face gingerly, feeling the raised line of scar tissue running from his forehead, across his left eye, down to his cheek. The prince's final wound, now a permanent mark.
"Can anyone else see you?" he asked, looking at the floating screen.
{ NOPE. STEALTH MODE IS ACTIVE. I'M ONLY VISIBLE TO YOU. YOU CAN TOGGLE IT ON/OFF WITH A THOUGHT, BUT I'D RECOMMEND KEEPING IT HIDDEN. "MYSTERIOUS GLOWING SCREENS" TEND TO MAKE MEDIEVAL PEOPLE NERVOUS. }
{ ALSO, FUN FACT: THAT OLD HEALER LADY? SHE KNOWS SOMETHING'S UP. SHE CAN'T SEE ME, BUT SHE NOTICED YOUR WOUNDS HEALING WAY TOO FAST. SHE'S BEEN GIVING YOU SUSPICIOUS LOOKS. }
"Great," Leonidas muttered. He pushed himself up to a sitting position, moving slowly. His small body felt strange—stronger than it should be, more capable, but still limited by its size and age.
The hut was small but organized. Shelves lined the walls, filled with jars, pouches, and mysterious implements. A fire burned low in a central hearth. Through gaps in the wooden walls, he could see daylight and hear the sounds of village life—voices, hammering, the bleat of sheep.
{ INVENTORY CHECK: YOUR HIDDEN BLADES ARE STILL EQUIPPED. EVERYTHING ELSE IS IN YOUR SYSTEM INVENTORY. THE VIKINGS DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING ON YOU EXCEPT TORN CLOTHING AND BLOOD. THEY'RE VERY CURIOUS ABOUT THAT WRIST BLADE THING YOU PULLED, THOUGH. }
"They saw it," Leonidas said. It wasn't a question.
{ OH, THEY SAW IT. ESPECIALLY HICCUP. THAT KID'S GOT QUESTIONS. LOTS OF THEM. HE'S BEEN BY THREE TIMES TRYING TO SNEAK A PEEK AT YOU. HIS DAD KEEPS SHOOING HIM AWAY. }
Leonidas swung his legs over the edge of the bed-platform, his bare feet touching cold stone floor. Someone had changed his clothes—he now wore a simple, oversized tunic that hung off his small frame. Clean, but rough fabric.
"What's my situation? Summarize."
{ CURRENT STATUS:
LOCATION: Berk, Viking Village, Year 1403 (roughly—Viking calendar is weird)
IDENTITY: Unknown mysterious child from death-ship
VIKING OPINION: Cautiously sympathetic. You're a wounded kid, so they're helping you. But you're also a kid who attacked one of them with a hidden blade, so they're wary.
IMMEDIATE CONCERNS: Stoick wants to talk to you. Hiccup wants to befriend you. Gothi wants to figure out why you're healing like Wolverine.
RESOURCES: 1,800 System Points. Lucky Wheel unlocked. All beginner items in inventory. }
{ RECOMMENDATION: Play the role of traumatized survivor. Answer some questions, but not all. Build trust slowly. Don't reveal the system, the armies, or the fact that you're a 32-year-old man in a kid's body. That would be... awkward. }
Leonidas nodded slowly. That aligned with his own instincts. He needed information before he made any major moves. Where exactly in the HTTYD timeline was he? What resources did Berk have? Who could be allies, and who might become problems?
And most importantly—where were the Persians? The men who'd killed Prince Leonidas's protectors. The vendetta the prince had died swearing.
Vengeance can wait, he told himself, though the inherited rage still simmered beneath his thoughts. First, survive. Then build power. Then strike.
The door to the hut creaked open.
Leonidas tensed instinctively, his hand twitching toward where his hidden blade rested beneath the loose tunic sleeve.
An ancient woman entered—hunched, weathered, with sharp eyes that seemed to miss nothing. She carried a staff and moved with surprising speed despite her age.
Gothi.
The healer stopped when she saw him sitting up. Her eyes narrowed.
She tapped her staff once on the floor—a sharp, deliberate sound.
Then she pointed at him with one gnarled finger and made a series of quick gestures.
{ SHE'S ASKING HOW YOU FEEL. ALSO POSSIBLY ACCUSING YOU OF BEING SOME KIND OF FOREST SPIRIT OR MAGICAL CREATURE. HER SIGN LANGUAGE IS A BIT AMBIGUOUS ON THAT POINT. }
Leonidas looked at the old woman. She was studying him with an intensity that made him uncomfortable—like she was looking through him rather than at him.
He needed to respond. But how much did he reveal?
"I..." His voice came out rough, hesitant. He cleared his throat and tried again in Norse—the language coming naturally, whether from the system or from the prince's memories. "I feel... better. Thank you. For helping me."
Gothi's eyes sharpened further. She made more gestures—quick, demanding.
{ SHE WANTS TO KNOW: WHO ARE YOU? WHERE ARE YOU FROM? WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT SHIP? AND—THIS IS THE BIG ONE—WHY ARE YOUR WOUNDS HEALING LIKE MAGIC? }
Before Leonidas could formulate an answer, the door opened again.
This time, a massive figure had to duck to enter.
Stoick the Vast filled the doorway, his presence commanding even in the small space. Behind him, trying to peek around his father's bulk, was a small boy with messy brown hair and enormous green eyes full of curiosity.
Hiccup.
"Ah," Stoick said, his deep voice surprisingly gentle. "You're awake. That's good. Very good."
Leonidas met the chief's gaze steadily, drawing on decades of experience from his previous life—confidence, calm, giving away nothing.
Stoick's eyebrows rose slightly, as if surprised by the intensity in a child's eyes.
"I am Stoick the Vast, chief of Berk," he said. "This is my son, Hiccup. You're safe here. No one will harm you."
A pause. Then, carefully: "Can you tell us your name, lad?"
{ MOMENT OF TRUTH. WHAT DO YOU TELL THEM? }
Leonidas met Stoick's gaze for a long moment, then spoke quietly:
"Leonidas. Just Leonidas."
His voice was steady despite the small body it came from. No elaboration. No explanation. Just his name.
Stoick's expression shifted slightly—surprise, perhaps, at the control in such a young voice. Most children would be crying, panicking, babbling. This one offered only what was asked and nothing more.
"Leonidas," Stoick repeated, testing the unfamiliar name. "That's... not a name I've heard before. Where does it come from?"
Leonidas held his gaze, silent.
{ NICE. GIVE THEM NOTHING. MAKE THEM WORK FOR IT. VERY SPY-CRAFT OF YOU. }
Behind his father, Hiccup's eyes were wide with fascination. The small boy was practically vibrating with unasked questions.
Stoick tried again, his tone remaining gentle but firm. "Leonidas, can you tell us what happened? On the ship? We found many dead—warriors in bronze armor we've never seen before. And others, dressed differently. There was a battle."
Leonidas looked down at his hands—small, scarred, still stained faintly with blood under the fingernails despite someone's attempts to clean them.
"Yes," he said simply. "There was a battle."
Another pause. He offered nothing more.
Stoick exchanged a glance with Gothi. The old healer tapped her staff and made a series of gestures.
{ SHE'S TELLING HIM YOU'RE IN SHOCK. TRAUMATIZED. THAT HE SHOULD GIVE YOU TIME. GOOD OLD GOTHI, BUYING YOU SPACE. }
"Dad," Hiccup whispered, tugging on his father's sleeve. "Maybe he's scared. You're really big and kind of intimidating and—"
"Hiccup," Stoick said, but not unkindly. He looked back at Leonidas. "My son is right. You've been through something terrible. We found you on a ship with dozens of dead warriors. Whatever happened out there..."
He shook his head. "You're safe now. You're in Berk, a Viking village. You'll stay here while you recover, and when you're ready, you can tell us what you remember."
Leonidas nodded slowly. "Thank you."
Stoick seemed about to say more, but Gothi tapped her staff sharply against the floor, then pointed at the door and made shooing motions.
{ SHE'S KICKING THEM OUT. SAYS YOU NEED REST, NOT INTERROGATION. I'M STARTING TO LIKE THIS OLD LADY. }
"Alright, alright," Stoick said, raising his hands in surrender. "We're going. But Leonidas—if you need anything, anything at all, you ask. Gothi will take care of you."
He turned to leave, placing a hand on Hiccup's shoulder to guide him out.
But Hiccup twisted around at the last second, his green eyes locked on Leonidas with intense curiosity.
"That thing on your arm," the boy blurted out before his father could stop him. "The blade that came out—how does it work? I've never seen anything like—"
"HICCUP." Stoick's voice was firm now.
"But Dad, it was so cool—"
"Out. Now."
Stoick physically steered his protesting son through the door. Just before it closed, Leonidas heard Hiccup's muffled voice: "—just want to know how the mechanism works, maybe I could build one, or—"
The door shut.
Silence fell, broken only by the crackling of the fire and Gothi's soft breathing.
The old healer studied Leonidas for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then she moved to a shelf, selected several jars, and began preparing something—a tea, perhaps, or another poultice.
{ WELL PLAYED. YOU GAVE THEM JUST ENOUGH TO SEEM COOPERATIVE WITHOUT ACTUALLY REVEALING ANYTHING USEFUL. STOICK THINKS YOU'RE TRAUMATIZED. HICCUP THINKS YOU'RE FASCINATING. GOTHI THINKS YOU'RE SUSPICIOUS BUT ISN'T GOING TO PUSH. }
{ NOW WHAT? YOU'VE GOT SOME TIME BEFORE THEY COME BACK WITH MORE QUESTIONS. }
Leonidas watched Gothi work, considering his options. He needed information. He needed to understand where—when—in the timeline he was. Hiccup looked about five years old, which meant dragons were still the enemy. The war between Vikings and dragons was still raging.
Which meant Toothless hadn't been shot down yet. The events of the first movie hadn't begun.
I have time, he realized. Years, potentially, before the main storyline starts.
{ PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS? }
"System," Leonidas subvocalized, barely moving his lips. "I need information. About this world, this village, the dragons. What can you tell me?"
{ LOADING WORLD INFORMATION DATABASE... }
{ BERK: Population approximately 300 Vikings. Primary economy: fishing, sheep herding, metalworking. Current status: AT WAR with dragons. Nightly raids are common. Dragon attacks have been increasing over the past decade. }
{ CURRENT CHIEF: Stoick the Vast - respected leader, personally lost his wife Valka to a dragon attack five years ago. Overprotective of his son Hiccup as a result. }
{ HICCUP HORRENDOUS HADDOCK III: Age 5, approximately 10 years before he shoots down a Night Fury and befriends Toothless. Currently considered too small and weak for Viking standards. Father wishes he was more... Viking-y. }
{ DRAGON SITUATION: Red Death is still alive and controlling the dragon nest. All dragon raids are to feed her. The dragons are essentially slaves, forced to bring food or be eaten themselves. }
{ YOUR ARRIVAL: Unknown variable. Not part of original timeline. Your presence could change... everything. }
Leonidas absorbed this information, his strategic mind already working through possibilities.
Ten years before canon. That was a significant amount of time. Time to build power, establish himself, prepare.
But it also meant living a decade as a child in a Viking village under constant dragon attack.
Gothi finished preparing whatever mixture she'd been making and brought it over—a wooden cup filled with something that smelled of herbs and honey. She pressed it into his hands and made a drinking gesture.
Leonidas accepted it, sniffing cautiously. The system didn't flag it as dangerous, so he sipped.
Warm. Sweet. With an underlying bitterness that suggested medicinal properties.
Gothi watched him drink, then made a series of slow, deliberate gestures.
{ SHE'S SAYING: "YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU SEEM. BUT YOUR SECRETS ARE YOUR OWN. REST. HEAL. WHEN YOU ARE READY TO SPEAK TRULY, I WILL LISTEN." }
{ THEN SHE ADDED: "BUT DO NOT BRING HARM TO THIS VILLAGE. WE HAVE ENOUGH ENEMIES ALREADY." }
Leonidas met the old healer's sharp eyes. She knew. Maybe not everything, but she knew something was unusual about him.
He nodded slowly. A promise, of sorts.
Gothi seemed satisfied. She pointed to the bed, made a sleeping gesture, then shuffled toward the door.
Before leaving, she paused and looked back at him one more time. Her expression was... not unkind. Almost sympathetic.
Then she was gone, the door closing softly behind her.
Leonidas was alone.
He set down the cup and let out a slow breath.
{ SO. YOU'VE BOUGHT YOURSELF SOME BREATHING ROOM. WHAT'S THE PLAN, BOSS? }
"First," Leonidas said quietly, "I need to understand my resources. Show me everything I have access to. Then we'll talk about the continent and where to place it."
{ NOW YOU'RE THINKING LIKE A PROPER ISEKAI PROTAGONIST. LET'S START WITH YOUR CURRENT ASSETS... }
The system screen expanded, filling his vision with information.
{ CURRENT SYSTEM POINTS: 1,800 SP
AVAILABLE UNITS (Not yet summoned):
200 Assassins (Elite tier)
500 Samurai (Veteran tier)
10,000 Spartan Soldiers (These guys are REALLY eager to fight Persians)
EQUIPMENT (In Inventory):
Complete Spartan Armor (Enhanced) x1
Katana (Masterwork) x2
Dragon Blades x2
Hidden Blades x2 (Currently equipped)
SPECIAL ITEMS:
Night Fury Egg x1 (Growth acceleration active)
War Eagles x10
TERRITORY:
Personal Continent (17.1M km² - Awaiting placement and summoning)
FEATURES UNLOCKED:
Store
Inventory
Unit Summoning
Lucky Wheel
Stealth Mode (Active) }
"The continent," Leonidas said. "You mentioned it would be placed outside the Viking Archipelago. Where exactly?"
{ GOOD QUESTION. THE ARCHIPELAGO SPANS A PRETTY WIDE AREA—BERK, OUTCAST ISLAND, BERSERKER ISLAND, DRAGON ISLAND, AND DOZENS OF SMALLER ISLANDS. YOUR CONTINENT NEEDS TO BE: }
{ 1) FAR ENOUGH AWAY THAT VIKINGS DON'T STUMBLE ONTO IT CASUALLY
2) CLOSE ENOUGH THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY REACH IT WHEN NEEDED
3) POSITIONED WHERE IT WON'T DISRUPT MAJOR CANON EVENTS }
{ I'M RECOMMENDING: APPROXIMATELY 500 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE ARCHIPELAGO. THAT PUTS IT WELL OUTSIDE NORMAL VIKING SAILING ROUTES BUT STILL ACCESSIBLE WITH THE RIGHT SHIPS. }
{ ONCE SUMMONED, YOUR ARMIES WILL BEGIN CONSTRUCTION IMMEDIATELY. THEY'LL BUILD: }
{ - FORTIFIED CITIES
TRAINING FACILITIES
SHIPYARDS
FARMLAND & INFRASTRUCTURE
BASICALLY EVERYTHING NEEDED FOR A FUNCTIONING KINGDOM }
{ ESTIMATED TIME TO FULL FUNCTIONALITY: 2-3 YEARS (YOUR UNITS WORK FAST AND DON'T NEED SLEEP) }
Leonidas considered this. A secret kingdom, built far from prying eyes. A place to train, to gather strength, to prepare.
"And the Persians?" he asked, his voice hardening slightly. "Where are they?"
{ AH. THE REVENGE PLOT. }
{ BAD NEWS: WE'RE NOT IN YOUR ORIGINAL WORLD ANYMORE. THIS IS THE HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON UNIVERSE. THE PERSIAN EMPIRE AS YOU KNEW IT... DOESN'T EXACTLY EXIST HERE THE SAME WAY. }
{ GOOD NEWS: THERE ARE EQUIVALENT THREATS. HOSTILE KINGDOMS. WARLORDS. DRAGO BLUDVIST IS OUT THERE SOMEWHERE, BUILDING HIS DRAGON ARMY. PLENTY OF ENEMIES TO EVENTUALLY CRUSH. }
{ BUT HERE'S THE THING—YOU INHERITED THE PRINCE'S RAGE, HIS NEED FOR VENGEANCE. THAT'S REAL. BUT YOU'RE ALSO JOHN PARKER, WHO JUST WANTS TO SURVIVE AND MAYBE, EVENTUALLY, FIND A WAY TO... WHAT? GO HOME? BUILD A NEW LIFE? }
{ YOU'VE GOT TWO SOULS' WORTH OF MOTIVATION RATTLING AROUND IN THAT LITTLE HEAD. MIGHT WANT TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE YOU'RE FOLLOWING. }
Leonidas was quiet for a long moment.
The system was right. He could feel both sets of emotions—the prince's burning rage for vengeance, and John Parker's grief over losing Sarah, his confusion about this impossible second chance.
"I'll figure it out," he said finally. "But right now, I need to survive and build power. Everything else comes after."
{ PRACTICAL. I LIKE IT. SO, IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES? }
"Information gathering. I need to understand Berk, its people, its defenses. I need to befriend Hiccup—he'll be important later. I need to gain Stoick's trust without revealing too much. And I need to summon that continent and get my armies working."
{ SOLID PLAN. WHEN DO YOU WANT TO SUMMON THE CONTINENT? }
"Tonight. When everyone's asleep. I'll do it from here—no one will see."
{ AND THE NIGHT FURY EGG? THAT'S GOING TO HATCH EVENTUALLY. BABY DRAGON IN A VIKING VILLAGE THAT KILLS DRAGONS. MIGHT BE... COMPLICATED. }
Leonidas smiled grimly. "One problem at a time, System. One problem at a time."
{ FAIR ENOUGH. GET SOME REST. TONIGHT, YOU BUILD AN EMPIRE. TOMORROW, YOU START PLAYING THE ROLE OF "MYSTERIOUS ORPHAN BOY." }
{ NO PRESSURE OR ANYTHING. }
Leonidas lay back on the bed, staring up at the wooden ceiling.
Somewhere out in the village, he could hear voices, hammering, the everyday sounds of Viking life.
He'd been given a second chance at life. In a world of dragons and Vikings. With a system that could summon armies and build kingdoms.
Sarah, he thought, his chest tightening. I'm sorry. I don't know if I'll ever see you again.
But I won't waste this chance. I'll survive. I'll become strong. And maybe... maybe I'll find a purpose here.
He closed his eyes, feeling the exhaustion finally catching up with him.
Tomorrow, his new life in Berk would truly begin.
But tonight—tonight he would plant the seeds of an empire.