The large doors opened. Hiccup took a deep breath as the Monstrous Nightmare stepped forth from its prison. Axe and shield in hands, Hiccup charged at it, sending a war cry he never had before. The crowd roared in excitement as Hiccup slashed a gash across the Nightmare's face, blinding it on one eye. The Nightmare growled and sent a blast of fire towards him. Hiccup rolled to the side and slashed at its face again, this time on the cheek. The Nightmare snapped at him, but Hiccup jumped and clambered onto the dragon's head. The Nightmare tried to shake him off, but Hiccup hung on. He stabbed into the Nightmare's head, trying to crack the skull and attack the brain. Again and again the Nightmare tried its hardest to shake him off, but Hiccup still hung on, even with his shield in hand. That was then he got an idea. He stuck his axe into the Nightmare's head and used the shield to crack the skull. It worked, and he tossed it aside. He pulled the axe from its spot and with one last blow, killed it.
The Nightmare's blood spewed all over the arena as the Nightmare took its last breath and then collapsed onto the floor, dead. The crowd cheered, throwing their helmets into the air. Hiccup stood up, once a young lad, now a true Viking. His father, Stoick the Vast would be proud. That night, a huge celebration was held for the newest dragon slayer. People gathered around, shaking Hiccup's hands, congratulating him on becoming a man. Stoick raised a quiet hand for silence. "Now I know that Hiccup probably would have been killed today," he began, "but tonight, our boy Hiccup is now a dragon killer; and a good one indeed!" The crowd cheered and Hiccup blushed. "Well, I don't know about being good," Hiccup replied, "but I'm happy that I'm like you guys now." But, in his mind, he thought about Toothless, the Night Fury he befriended. He would have to tell him that he couldn't see him anymore.
The next morning, while everyone was sound asleep, Hiccup left his house to the clearing where Toothless slept. Toothless woke up at the sound of Hiccup's footsteps and he rushed up to greet him. Hiccup laughed as Toothless tackled him to the ground and licked his face. "Toothless! Cut that out! You're hurting me!" Hiccup cried, almost dying of laughter. Toothless stepped back to let Hiccup rise to his feet. He smiled; how can he ever leave Toothless? But he had to, because when he killed the Monstrous Nightmare, he became a Viking and Vikings kill dragons. So he sighed and said: "Toothless. I know that we've been friends for a while, but… I killed a dragon." Toothless cocked his head to the side; he couldn't quite understand what he was saying. "I'm sorry to say this, but I can't see you anymore. I have responsibilities now for the village. I guess this is goodbye, my dearest friend." With those last words, he hugged his dragon friend and undid everything; the saddle and the tail. He took it and threw them into the water, watching them sink into the small lake. He turned to Toothless, who was staring at him, somehow pleading him not to go. Tears of sorrow started to build up and then he left, not saying a word. Toothless tried to follow him, but without his tail, he couldn't. So, he clambered onto his rock and stared into the sky, wishing he didn't kill that dragon and wished they could stay together.