Hiccup awoke and found himself in great pain, his waist was covered in bandages and he had several bad burns. He couldn't feel he's left leg at all was only when he removes the blanket that he discovered that it was missing.
He was still feeling very woozy as he sat up and tried to recall what happened. He remembered his battle against Devi and Eret and remember that he got struck by lightning. He also remembered laying on the back of Skull as they were flying away from Meridian.
"What happened?" he groaned.
He then began to take on his surroundings and to his holiday he found himself in the chambers of a Fire Empire Navy vessel. He instinctively believe that he had been captured and he was greatly concerned about his friends and their dragons.
"Oh no," he said as he rose to his feet forgetting that he only had 1 foot.
As a result he toppled over, but then he saw a pair of crutches and immediately grabbed them. He made his way to the door and opened it and began making his way through the dark corridor. He was obviously still weak from his battle and the loss of his leg wasn't doing him any favours either as he stumbled every now and then.
"You hear something?" said a voice.
Hiccup stopped and looked round the corner and saw two Fire Empire soldiers standing there. One was a very large man while the other was very short and was no bigger than his knee. Knowing that he had to get out as soon as possible for another patrol came through he quickly jumped out from behind the corner unleashed a powerful burst of air and then quickly made his way down the corridor.
"He's awake!" said the soldier.
Hiccup quickly limped as quickly as he could down the corridor with the soldiers in hot pursuit.
"Stop! Wait!" the soldier cried.
Hiccup had no intentions of being delivered to the Emperor and kept on moving until he finally managed to reach the steps to the deck. He had just reached the final step when he tripped and fell upon the deck and that's when he saw soldier petting Toothless.
"Toothless?" Hiccup blinked. Toothless then immediately rushed towards him and began to lick him constantly. "Bud, stop! You know that doesn't wash out!"
"Nice to see you're finally awake," said Snotlout.
"Hiccup, you're awake!" Heather beamed.
"What a relief," said Fishlegs with a hand over his heart.
"We thought you were going to be a coma forever," said Ragnar smiling.
"Boy, he looks terrible," said Tuffnut.
Ruffnut elbowed him in the stomach. "Shut up."
Hiccup was even more confused now than the time he awoken from that iceberg. "I knew it, I'm dead?"
"No, but gave it your best shot," said Ragnar placing a hand on his shoulder. "You been in a coma for quite some time, we weren't even sure of you going to wake up."
Then a soldier wearing lieutenant insignias approached him. "Hiccup, thank the ancestors that you're awake," said the lieutenant with a very familiar voice.
"Astrid?" Hiccup stared.
He then felt very lightheaded and began to topple over.
"Uh-oh, someone catch him he's going to—" Heather cried.
Too late, Hiccup faint.
Meanwhile, Eret was standing on board Devi's flagship which was heading back to the capital and his thoughts immediately turned upon the Emperor.
"Aren't you cold?" said a voice.
Eret turned and saw May approaching him. "I have a lot on my mind, it's been so long at least three years since I was home. I wonder what has changed. I wonder how I've changed."
May yawned. "I just asked if you were cold, I didn't ask for your whole life story." Eret huffed and May then placed her arms around him and smiled. "Stop worrying."
Then the two of them kissed and once they parted she walked away. Eret just stood there facing the moon wondering if he had done the right thing.
Hiccup had regained consciousness and had now come to the belief that he was very much alive, though only barely.
"So I'm on a Fire Empire ship, but why is everyone dressed up like this?" Hiccup asked as Astrid placed a blanket over his shoulders. "How long have I been out?"
Astrid looked at him calmly. "You need to relax, you took quite a bad beating. Your leg took the full brunt of the attack, we had no choice but to remove it. Fishlegs is currently working on a prospector to replace the one you lost."
Hiccup sighed. "How long?"
"A few weeks," Astrid answered and she smiled. "And I like your long hair."
Hiccup immediately placed a hand behind his back and realise that his hair had grown quite a bit.
Heather leaned down towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You still have a lot of healing to do, in fact was a miracle that you are able to get up here in the condition you were in."
"Is everything okay?" said a man wearing a captain's uniform.
Heather huffed. "We're fine, Dad."
Oswald immediately extended a hand to Hiccup. "I'm Oswald, Dagur and Heather's father."
"He knows who you are, Dad," Heather snapped. "I did just call you Dad, didn't I?"
"I guess you're right," said Oswald taken aback.
Hiccup then shook Oswald's hand. "It's nice to finally meet you, Chief Oswald."
"It's an honour to meet you."
"Great, great, now you guys have finally met so we mind giving us a little privacy?" Heather asked coldly.
"Of course," Oswald nodded.
Oswald then made his way over to their dragons and rubbed Windshear's head.
Hiccup looked at Heather. "Are you mad in your dad or something?"
"What?" Heather asked looking at him. "Not at all, why would you say that?"
Astrid looked at Hiccup and immediately shook her head.
"Never mind," said Hiccup then suddenly he winced in pain.
"Maybe we should go upstairs, you need a healing session," said Heather as she and Astrid helped him up.
They soon too Hiccup to his room and Heather remove the bandages, there was a very bad burn mark on his back exactly the spot where Devi shot him with a bolt of lightning. Heather then immediately bended to balls of water and then placed the water and on the wound and then began to heal it.
"Tell me where your pain feels most intense," Heather instructed.
Hiccup winced gritting through the pain. "A little higher."
Hiccup then suddenly had a nasty flashback when he was in the Avatar State.
"Wow, you're definitely in the polite area there," said Hiccup.
"I can feel a lot of energy twisted up around there," said Heather as she began to pour the water back. "Let me see if I just can't."
The moment she remove the water Hiccup felt another jolt of pain, similar to the one he received from Devi. He then had a flashback of when he fell to the ground and how he just lied their motionlessly after the battle.
"I was taken down, I wasn't just hurt, was far worse than that," said Hiccup sweating horribly. "I was actually dead for a few seconds, but you brought me back."
"I just use the spirit water from the North Pole," said Heather. "I had no idea what I did exactly, but it save your life."
"Then I owe you a second time," said Hiccup looking at her.
"You can pay me back by relaxing and regain your strength," Heather instructed.
It was soon dawn and Eret and Devi had reached Berk, the capital of the Fire Empire. It was the centre most island within the archipelago and was located in the very top of the extinct volcano.
"Princess Devi, clever and beautiful, disguised herself as the enemy and enter the Earth Kingdom's capital!" Brenda announced to several civilians that had gathered at the port.
"In Meridian, she allied herself with Captain Eret of the Noble House of Eretson," said Brenna.
"And together they faced the Avatar," said Brenda.
"And the Avatar fell and the Earth Kingdom fell!" they both announced in unison.
"Devi's agents quickly overtook the entire city," said Brenda.
"They went to Meridian's great wall!" Brenna announced
"And brought them down!" they yelled in unison.
"The armies of the Empire surged through the walls and swarmed over Meridian, securing our victory!" Brenda cried out.
"Now the heroes have returned home!" said yelled together.
"You're Princess… Devi!" Brenda announced as Devi stepped forward and the crowd cheered upon seeing her.
"And after three long years, Captain Eret has returned!" Brenna announced.
Eret, wearing a captain's uniform then made his way over to the podium and looked over the crowd that was present. Upon seen him the people immediately cheered, but he didn't look happy in the slightest in fact he looked a bit anxious.
On the very same morning, Astrid and the others began to debrief Hiccup about everything that had happened when he was in a coma.
"The Jade Vipers show their true colours and brought down Meridian's walls," said Ragnar regretfully. "With the Council of Five captured, it was very easy for the Empire to take control over Meridian."
Snotlout clenched his fist. "Those traitorous snakes, if they had just captured Devi to begin with we wouldn't be in this mess!"
"After you were injured in catacombs, we have to get you to safety," said Astrid. "We flew back to Chameleon Bay where we found Chief Oswald and the other water tribesmen. The Earth King then decided to travel the world in disguise, so he set off alone. Atali and her Wing Maidens decided to rally the remaining pockets of resistance across the kingdom, hoping to stop the Empire's advance. It wasn't long into the bay was overrun with Empire Navy ships, rather than fight them all we captured single ship and made disguise."
Astrid then brought out a map and began to point out the route. "Since then we've been travelling west, we crossed over Scauldron's Pass a few days ago, we've seen a few Empire ships but none have bothered us."
Hiccup closed his eyes. "So what do we do now?"
"We've been working on a modified version of the invasion plan," Oswald explained.
"Astrid was the one who came up with the alterations," Heather pointed out.
Oswald looked bit awkward. "We won't be able to mount a massive invasion fleet without the Earth King's armies."
"Fortunately sending more ships to the Earth Kingdom means that they're less ships protecting the capital and the solar eclipse will still leave the Empire vulnerable," Ragnar added.
"That's why we decided to carry on with the invasion, albeit on a smaller scale," said Astrid. "Were basically gathering a ragtag team of our friends and allies across the Earth Kingdom, we already ran into Pipsqueak and The Duke."
Hiccup turned and saw the soldiers he met earlier were in fact Pipsqueak and Duke.
"Good to see you again, Hiccup," said Pipsqueak.
"We also have another advantage over them the eclipse," said Ragnar looking at Hiccup. "The entire world things that you're dead."
"Isn't that great," Tuffnut beamed.
"You're our secret weapon," said Ruffnut excitedly.
Hiccup just looked immensely horrified. "The world thinks I'm dead!"
Ragnar looked at Astrid. "Told you he'd take it well."
Astrid then approach Hiccup. "Hiccup, I know that this is a lot to take in and I can understandably upset. But now that the Empire things that you're dead, again, they won't be hunting us anymore and it will lower their guard and give us the advantage when we start the invasion."
Hiccup slammed his hand onto the deck. "I've failed again!"
Before anyone could say anything they heard the sound of a horn and saw Navy ship heading towards them.
Hiccup narrowed his eyes. "I'll handle this. The Avatar is back."
"In case you forgot your missing your left foot," said Snotlout pointing to his stump. "And even if you were missing it your in no condition to fight."
Astrid sighed. "For once I agree with Snotlout. Besides, they don't know that where not Empire soldiers."
"Everyone just stay calm, Dagur, Vorg and I will take care of this," said Oswald as they put on their helmets.
Pipsqueak and Duke then quickly covered at the Dragons in the cargo hold and those of Emma weren't wearing Fire Empire uniforms hit just behind the steps leading to the lower decks.
"I hate not been able to do anything," Hiccup grunted.
"Hopefully you won't need to," said Ragnar.
Soon the two ships crossed one another and a gangplank was lowered from the other ship. Then walking on the gangplank was the Commodore along with two soldiers. Oswald, Dagur and Vorg just stood there as calmly as possible as they moved closer towards them.
"Captain why are you off course?" the Commodore demanded. "All Western Fleet ships are supposed to be moving towards Meridian to support the occupation."
"Actually wherefrom the Eastern Fleet," Oswald corrected. "We have orders to deliver some cargo."
The Commodore scratched his chin. "Ah, Eastern Fleet, well nice of Admiral Borg to let us know that he was sending one of his ships our way."
"I'm sure that Admiral Borg meant no disrespect, sir," said Vorg.
"I mean how hard is it to write a quick note and send a Terrible Terror our way?"
"The next time we'll send to terrors to be sure to make sure that you get the message," Oswald smiled.
Dagur then leaned in towards his father. "Captain, we really need to be going there expecting supplies in the next few days."
Oswald nodded. "A pleasant journeys and good luck with the occupation, sir."
They all nodded and Oswald and the others left the Commodore, but then one of the soldiers leaned in towards the Commodore's ear.
"Sir, Admiral Borg has been on leave for two months at Ember Island."
"What?" said the Commodore. "Why doesn't anyone ever tell me anything? Something is not right, they should have known that, I think this is a captured ship." They then turned around and made their way back across the gangway. "Just stay quiet until was safely across the ramp then we'll sink this ship."
Unfortunately for them, Snotlout had been listening carefully to the conversation and immediately shot up. "They know!"
Snotlout then quickly slammed his hand into the ground and Metalbended the hull and ripped the gangway completely off the ship. As a result the Commodore and his men fell into the sea and then Heather quickly bended the water upwards, she then slammed the water into the enemy ship putting as much distance from them as possible.
Immediately they started the engines and pulled away from the enemy ship, who quickly dropped down a rope ladder for the Commodore and his men.
Meanwhile at the capital, Eret was now back in his family estate judging from the weeds and cobwebs, no one had bothered to attend to the estate for quite some time. However he was more focused on the ponds where several ducks were swimming and he began to feed them like he did with his mother a long time ago.
The ducks immediately slammed away once the shadow of Devi covered the pond. She then looked down at Eret noticed that he was quite quiet.
"You seem quite downcast," she noted. "Has May gotten into you already? Though actually May has been in a strange good mood lately."
Eret narrowed his eyes. "I haven't seen the Emperor yet, forgive me if I feel a bit anxious."
"Fair enough, but what does that matter?" Devi shrugged.
"I'm not supposed to return until I've captured the Avatar."
"Who cares, the Avatar is dead and there is only one Airbender alive, the cycle is broken which means were free of him forever," Devi smiled.
Eret raised an eyebrow. "There's no proof of that and it is not the first time we believed him to be dead."
"I very much doubt that he can survive a bolt of lightning aimed at his back," said Devi dismissively.
Eret, however, had his doubts, he knew very well that Heather was a skilled healer it might just be possible for her to heal his injuries. Though there was no way he was gonna shed this little bit of information with Devi, he knew her all too well.
"Maybe you're right," he said looking at her.
"Then what do you have to worry about?" Devi asked.
He then watched as she walked away and he knew that he was playing a very dangerous game with the House Bludvist.
Meanwhile, the ship carrying Hiccup and the others was now being hotly pursued by the other Empire vessel. They were firing flaming boulders at the ship constantly and more than a few of them scrapes the hull.
"I've got this," said Ragnar as he immediately jumped into the air.
He then unleashed a powerful air palm and deflected the flaming boulders heading towards the ship, he began doing the same thing constantly.
"No way I'm gonna let you have all the fun," said Snotlout and looked at Pipsqueak. "Load me up!"
Pipsqueak then immediately placed a large boulder in front of him, Snotlout then slammed his foot on top of the metal causing the boulder to lift up into the air. Then with one good thrust he sent the boulder flying straight towards the enemy ship and sliced right through one of the trebuchets.
Ragnar then continued to deflect more and more the flaming boulders that were launched from the surviving trebuchets. Hiccup was still hiding with Astrid and felt utterly useless, every time he tried to go outside and help she stopped him only increasing his frustration.
Then the enemy ship fired a harpoon that struck the bottom of the ship and water soon flooded into the bottom. Heather then quickly made her way towards the side of the ship and then unleashed a cold mist freezing the water solid.
Heather then looked at everyone. "I'm going to give us some cover!"
Heather then flushed hands forwards towards the sea and immediately she began to create a massive cloud of mist and spread out into a consumed both ships. That however did not stop the enemy ship on firing its trebuchets and one of the flaming boulders destroyed their supply of boulders.
"I just can't stand by and do nothing!" Hiccup yelled in frustration.
He then began to limp his way outside, but Astrid quickly stopped him. "Hiccup, no! You're in no condition to fight and you have to stay secret! Just let us handle this!"
"Fine," Hiccup grunted.
They soon estate the fog cloud and the enemy ship was right on their tail now meaning that there trebuchets could do a lot more damage. Heather did everything she could to put out the fires and Ragnar did his best to blow away the flaming boulders.
Fishlegs fidgeted. "Things aren't going well."
"Hey, it could be worse," said Tuffnut.
Then suddenly erupting from the sea was the Titan Winged Scauldron from Scauldron's Pass and he didn't look particularly happy.
"It just got worse," said Ruffnut.
The Scauldron was about to attack them, but then the enemy ship accidentally struck him with a flaming boulder. This greatly annoyed the large sea dragon and turned its attention onto the ship. It then managed to get it upper body onto the deck of the ship and firing jets of hot water down onto the deck.
"Thank the ancestors," said Fishlegs with a hand over his heart.
They soon reached the port that was controlled by the Empire in order to do repairs and get supplies. Hiccup was in his room looking up at the ceiling and he felt utterly terrible, Fishlegs was outfitting his new prosthetic.
"I've added a bit of your flair into the design," said Fishlegs cheerfully. "You think you'll do?"
Hiccup looked at the prosthetic. "I might make a few tweaks."
The door then opened and Astrid and the others entered the room.
"Hey, Hiccup," said Ragnar. "We're going into town to find some dinner."
Hiccup placed a hand over his stomach. "Well, I am pretty hungry. Maybe dinner is a good idea."
Astrid then handed him a cloak. "Where this and keep the hood up."
Hiccup looked at her. "How can I go out without even showing my face?"
Astrid sighed. "Hiccup, be practical. They've only just taken down your wanted posters, but practically every single soldier in the Empire know what you look like. We can't even tell the Earth Kingdom citizens that you're alive or else news will be spread like wildfire."
Ragnar could see Hiccup's troubled look and look to the others. "You guys go on ahead, we'll catch up with you."
Astrid and the others then left the room leaving Ragnar alone with Hiccup.
Ragnar then looked at Hiccup solemnly. "I know why being a secret bothers you so much, you don't want people to think that you've failed."
Hiccup looked at him. "You're right, I don't. But the problem is I did fail."
"That's not true, Hiccup," said Ragnar gently.
"It is true, I was in Meridian and I lost and because of that the Earth Kingdom has fallen for good," said Hiccup getting up steadily to test his new foot. "And what is worse is that everyone believes I'm dead, that alone wipes away all hope for every single soldier still fighting in this crazy war!"
"We still have a chance to end the war. The invasion."
"And I hate the invasion plan too! I don't want anyone risking their lives to fix my mistakes!" He then sat down on his bed. "I always knew that I would face against Drago, but now I know that I need to do it alone."
Ragnar sighed. "Hiccup…"
Hiccup looked at him. "Ragnar, please, just go. Please."
Ragnar closed his eyes and made his way to the door, but he looked at Hiccup one last time. "Is there anything you need?"
"I need to redeem myself. I need my honour back," said Hiccup flatly.
Eret meanwhile was in the Palace making his way towards the throne room, he had been expecting this moment ever since he stepped foot in the capital. He had a slight feeling of dread when he approached the large doors and with one deep breath he entered.
On the throne, he saw Drago himself armour was covering his right arm. Eret had heard rumours that behind that armour were massive burns he had received from the previous Emperor when he started the coup. Drago had a fearful expression on his face which was covered in scars, his beard and hair were tied together with dreadlocks and his eyes had the same piercing stare that belonged to his daughter.
Heather soon returned and began to deliver food to Hiccup from the marketplace, hoping that it would cheer him up.
"I brought you some food," she said as she entered. Then to her horror she found the room was completely empty and she realised what Hiccup had done. "Oh, no."
She drops the food and immediately rushed out.
Hiccup had stolen Ragnar's glider and was now flying towards the Empire.
Eret meanwhile approached the Emperor who was sitting on his throne, which looked as if it was made from rubies. Once he was halfway across the chamber he stopped and went down on his knee and bowed respectfully.
"You have been away for a long time and I can see the weight of your travels has changed you," said Drago in a deep booming voice. "You have redeemed your family name, Captain." He then rose to his feet and then approached Eret, who then looked up to face him. "Welcome home."
Hiccup was still flying across the sky and storm cloud were beginning to gather, but regardless he did not turn back and kept on pushing forward. His injuries were eating away at his stamina, but he fought through and kept on flying.
Heather had managed to reach the bridge and approached her father with tears in her eyes.
"What's wrong, Heather?" Oswald asked.
"He left," said Heather.
"What?"
"Hiccup, he took Ragnar's glider and disappeared," said Heather clenching her fist. "He has this ridiculous notion that he has to save the world alone, that it is his responsibility."
Oswald closed his eyes. "It's easy to forget that boys from the Empire and honour is everything to them. He now feels as if he's failed twice and after that battle in Meridian he fears for you and your friend safety. It's just his way of being brave."
"It's not brave it's selfish and stupid!" Heather roared furiously. "We could be helping him and I know that the world needs him, but doesn't he know how much we need him too? How could he just leave us behind?"
Oswald got the feeling that something else was staring her anger. "You're talking about me too, aren't you?"
"How could you leave us, Dad?" Heather cried. "I mean I know we had grandma and she loved us, but… but we were still lost without you."
Oswald then placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry Heather."
Heather then cried into his chest and the two of them embraced. "I understand why you left, I really do. And I know that you had to go. So, why do I still feel this way? I'm so sad and angry and hurt."
"I love you more than anything," said Oswald gently. "You and your brother are my entire world, I thought about you every day that I was gone. And every night that I went to sleep, I would lie awake missing you so much that it would ache."
Eret was still kneeling before Drago has he began to pace up and down as if he was being judged.
"You have done well Captain Eret, I am proud that you and my daughter conquered Meridian," he said. "I'm proud because when your loyalty was tested by your treacherous uncle, you did the right thing and captured the traitor. I'm even more impressed of your most legendary accomplishment, use lead the Avatar."
Eret looked up. "What did you hear, my Lord?"
"Devi told me everything, she said that she was amazed and impressed of your power and ferocity at the moment of truth."
Eret had a good feeling that he was being manipulated, if he told the truth now there's no telling what he would do. On the other hand if the Avatar was indeed alive and well once the truth came out his punishment would be three times worse.
Hiccup was still flying across the sea fighting against the pain that we ran through his entire body. He was so tired that he could barely fly straight and graze the water every now and then and then he saw massive blockade of ships Empire Navy vessels.
"A Blockade," he noted.
Hiccup then immediately took in a deep breath and deactivated the glider. He then dived into the water and use the momentum to sail directly beneath the ships and then he resurfaced a good few hundred feet away.
However, his body was entirely spent, there was no way he'll be able to fly again and he could barely swim. The moment that the dawn came those Navy vessels would be able to spot him almost instantly.
He then saw a log floating close by and immediately swam to it, noting that the current was taking it away from the Navy vessels. However, it was still far too slow, but then he got an idea. Using Ragnar's glider he used in order to capture the wind and he began to sail across the sea.
He kept on sailing through the storm clouds using every ounce of strength he had to stay upright. However, he then shot off over a wave and crashed into the sea once more and lost the glider.
Once his meeting with the Emperor was over, Eret marched his way to Devi's room.
"Why did you do it?" Eret demanded.
Devi was smirking as she laid on her bed. "You're going to have to be a bit more specific."
"Why did you tell the Emperor that I killed the Avatar?" Eret asked curiously.
"Can't this wait until morning, besides technically you are trespassing?" Devi pointed out.
"It can't," Eret glared.
"Fine," Devi muttered and sat upright. "You seemed so worried about how my father would treat you, because you had been captured the Avatar. I figured if I gave you the credit, you would have nothing to worry about."
Eret narrowed his eyes. "I wasn't born yesterday, Devi and I refuse to be manipulated by you. That's why I told the truth to your father."
Devi looked up. "You did? And what did he say?"
"He doesn't know which one of us is telling the truth, but considering that I did assist you in taking Meridian he's decided to revoke my exile and has given me the promotion of Colonel," said Eret. He then looked directly at Devi. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but I refuse to be manipulated by you any longer."
Devi narrowed her eyes as Eret walked out.
Hiccup meanwhile was holding onto log as the storm raged on, he tried to reach Ragnar's glider but it was drifting away. Then suddenly a large wave consumed him and he went under, but thankfully he was still conscious. It was hard with only one good leg, but Hiccup managed to reach the surface and clinging onto log.
"I'm not gonna make it," he said. "I failed."
Suddenly there was a bolt of lightning in the spirit of Maaike appeared before him.
"Maaike," Hiccup blinked.
"You haven't failed, Hiccup," she said. "But everyone thinks I'm dead again, they think that I've abandoned them. And I'm losing this war, I'm letting the whole world down."
"If anyone is to blame for the state of the world, it is me," said Maaike closing her eyes. "I should have seen this war coming and prevented it. You inherited my problems and my mistakes, but I believe that you are destined to redeem me and save the world."
"I don't know," said Hiccup.
Then suddenly the moon shone from out of the clouds of the spirit of Luna floated down towards him.
"You already save the world," she said gently. "And you will save the world again, but you can't give up."
Her very presence seem to have dispelled the storm and she looked down at Hiccup with kind gentle eyes.
Hiccup nodded, taking her words to heart. "You're right. I won't give up."
Hiccup then began to Waterbend creating a wave, he then hopped onto the log and began to sail onwards. He then moved his hands upwards causing the wave to expand until was hundreds of yards long and high.
Luna watched as he disappeared into the distance and then retreated back into the crease of the moon's light.
Hiccup soon reached her desolate island that had been destroyed by a volcano and it looked as if there had been ruined on the volcano before it erupted.
It wasn't until morning that he felt something nuzzle against him and he was immediately awoken when a large slovenly tongue licked him across the face.
Hiccup woke up with a start and saw Toothless sitting in front of him with a curious face. Moments later Astrid and the others approached him and he looked immensely relieved to see that he was alive.
Astrid immediately hugged him. "You're okay."
Soon all them were brought into a large hug, even the dragons joined in.
"I have so much to do," said Hiccup once they parted.
"We know, but you will have our help," said Ragnar.
"And don't even think you're getting yourself out of training because you're in the Empire now," Snotlout warned.
"What about the invasion?" Hiccup asked looking at Astrid.
"We'll join up with Oswald and the invasion force on the day of the eclipse," Astrid assured him.
"Hey, what's this," said Ruffnut picking something out of the sea.
It turned out to be Ragnar's glider or what was left of it.
Hiccup looked at Ragnar. "Sorry about ruining your glider."
Ragnar sighed as he took it. "It's okay, if someone saw it it would give away our identity."
Hiccup nodded. "It is best to not let anyone know that I'm alive."
Ragnar nodded and immediately jump towards the nearest flow of lava and plunged the ruined glider into the stream. He then jumped back and joined the others as the glider was burnt to ash.