Hey guys! :D A bit of a longer chapter this time. :) Let's see if I can't finish up this story today. :D Shout-outs:
ShadowSpirit020: Thanks! :) Yeah, Astrid fighting Hiccup was fun to write. :)
Galaxy-Mitsuko-Pegasus: I have a hard time feeling sorry for Snotlout considering how boastful he was being before the fight, but yeah, poor Snotlout. XD And the twins can actually be smart...when they want to be. The problem is, they rarely want to be. :D
StarFlight13: Yeah, sorry about all that suspense! :D
Charr2003: I promise I will do my very best to finish today! :D I'm so glad you liked that fight scene! I want to see something like that in RttE soon. ;) Thanks for the review! :D
SilverGhostWolf: I'll do my best to finish it today! :D
Animals Rule: Aww, thanks! :D
Carly Marley: Yep, I'll definitely do my best and be careful. ;) I turned my computer brightness all the way down, which helps to not get headaches. :D Thanks! :D
CoverGirl7210: I promise I'll do my best! :D
StoryGirl1997: The twins bounce back and forth a lot, in the TV series, too. One moment they're geniuses, and the next moment, they can't tell whether or not they have legs. XD
DragonRobotkid676: Awesome! :D
1 Fan: Yep! Getting to the good part! :D
AquaticDragon: Haha, thanks so much! :D
midnightsky0612: Let's hope so. :)
Hiccup, Astrid, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and Snotlout were hiding, each behind their own tree in the forest. The light of the full moon blocked by the trees below, casting shadows on the forest floor that further hid the dragon riders. Snotlout tapped his foot impatiently.
"Are you sure the Berserkers were coming at us in this direction?" he whispered harshly to anyone who would listen. "Maybe they were coming from the North!"
"We checked that already, Snotlout," said Fishlegs, "remember? They're coming at us through the forest. It's the logical choice. The trees create great cover, especially in the dark."
"So, when Dagur and his group of Bonkers show up-" said Tuffnut.
"Berserkers," Fishlegs corrected.
"Right, Buffoons," said Tuffnut, "what are we supposed to do? We left the dragons to guard the base."
"We can fight without the dragons," said Astrid. "It's why we were training earlier, to prepare us for this."
"If we can keep the Berserkers from reaching the Edge," Hiccup said, "the Dragon Eye will be safest. If they make it past us, they'll have the dragons to deal with."
"You mean when they make it past us," said Snotlout. When nobody answered, he groaned, clutching the hilt of his sword tighter. "I hate everything."
"Shh!" the others hissed at him, and Snotlout shut his mouth.
They listened for any indication of their enemy's arrival.
…
The Berserker ships moored on the shoes of the Edge, and Dagur stepped off, clutching his crossbow, his trusty axe sheathed at his belt. Dagur looked around, and then back at the ships as the rest of his men stepped out of it.
He pointed to the members of his third ship. "You," he barked, "are to sneak into the Edge and bring me the Night Fury."
His men nodded and scampered off, holding crossbows and axes alike. Dagur, meanwhile, motioned to the rest of his men, and set off into the dark forest, crossbows raised and at the ready.
…
"I hear footsteps," Snotlout whispered urgently, clutching his axe tighter. "Footsteps. Guys, this isn't a good thing. They're coming. They're going to kill us. But what's worse…" He gasped in horror. "...They're going to kill me!"
"No one is dying, Snotlout," muttered Fishlegs.
"Except the Berserkers!" said Tuffnut.
"No, we're not killing them, either!"
"We should!"
"Check and see if anyone's coming," Astrid whispered to Snotlout harshly.
Snotlout whimpered. "Why is it always me?" he said, slightly desperately, and he peaked over the side of the tree he was hiding behind for only a moment before jerking his head back. "Yep," he said, "someone's coming."
"Alright," Hiccup said. "Ruffnut, Tuffnut, you guys ready to set off your first trap?"
"Thought you'd never ask," grinned Ruffnut.
…
The Berserkers were walking through the forest, Dagur leading them, when suddenly, a large trap door opened underneath the Berserkers bringing up the rear. By the time the other Berserkers had turned around to see what had happened, all that remained was the gaping hole of the twins' boobytrap
Dagur groaned. "Always the same old thing, isn't it, brother?" Dagur called into the forest. "Don't pretend you can't hear me, Hiccup! I know you're in there! Show yourselves, cowards!"
…
"You know something?" said Ruffnut, returning from triggering their trap, clutching her spear. "Whenever Dagur tells us to show ourselves, I have the strangest urge not to show myself."
"It's obviously a trap," said Astrid. "Who knows what they have as backup if we do show ourselves?"
"But they're here for a reason," Hiccup said.
"Oh no," said Snotlout. "Please don't tell me you're thinking what I think you're thinking."
"He's thinking something," said Ruffnut. "He has that psychotic gleam in his eyes again."
"What? No I don't!"
"And he's in denial, too."
"We have to find out why they're here," said Hiccup, "we have to. Viggo has a plan, and you know what a blabber mouth Dagur can be."
"So your brilliant plan is to talk to Dagur," said Snotlout, "and then talk your way out of getting killed by him afterwards?"
"Hey, it usually works," said Hiccup, shrugging.
"Yep," said Snotlout. "We are definitely doomed."
"Come on," Hiccup said, and he, followed by his friends, more or less reluctantly, stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight.
Across from them, ten feet away, stood Dagur, and behind him were his Berserkers. Dagur smiled maniacally.
"Well, brother," he said, "fancy me seeing you here."
"Start with a compliment," whispered Tuffnut to Hiccup. "They're less likely to kill you if you start with a compliment."
"And Dagur," Hiccup said. "You're looking as paranoid as ever."
Tuffnut facepalmed. "What did I just say?" he moaned quietly.
Dagur set down his crossbow and unsheathed his axe, leaving both on the forest floor. Then, he stepped forward. "Come on, brother," he taunted. "I thought negotiating was your thing."
Hiccup narrowed his eyes, unsheathed his sword, and stabbed it into the ground at his side. He stepped forward, his friends staying where they were, and Dagur's Berserkers, likewise, remaining unmoved.
Hiccup and Dagur stopped just in front of each other. Hiccup's glare didn't falter; Dagur's smile didn't waver. "It's so nice to see you again, brother," said Dagur, smiling. "I knew you would get out of drowning on my ship. But the real question is, how did you manage to get out of drowning?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," said Hiccup.
"Ah, you're right, I wouldn't!" said Dagur, grinning. "And I'm glad you made it out! You have no idea how good it feels to keep almost killing you over and over and over again. It's a wonderful feeling, brother."
"Well, I'm glad," said Hiccup. "It feels good to be escaping near death from you every other week, too. Except, I don't exactly know why you're here, Dagur."
"Well, obviously," said Dagur, "I'm here to take back what was once mine."
"Back to this old thing again?" Hiccup said. "Come on, Dagur, I know you better than that. You're working with the dragon hunters. Why are you here, really?"
Dagur laughed maniacally, and Hiccup, though he was tempted, didn't step backwards. "Oh, brother!" he cackled. "You still think I'm in league with those loony dragon hunters? They're insane! I would never take orders from someone who tried to kill my brother!"
"Uh huh, right," said Hiccup, his frown deepening. "Then why were Berserker ships moored at the dragon hunter base last time we visited?"
"We were captured," said Dagur, "all of us. Well, it started with me, and then my men, and then my sister-"
"Heather?" Hiccup said, and his eyes went wide. "Where is she now?" he demanded.
Dagur grinned and shrugged. "Oh, I don't know," he said carelessly. "Dead, who knows. It doesn't matter to me what happens to her. Maybe Viggo's killed her. She's probably dead. Coward-"
No one was exactly sure what happened next. One moment, Dagur was laughing smugly, and the next, there was a loud WHUMP! of flesh against flesh, and Dagur was reeling backwards, hands over his face, and Hiccup was gritting his teeth, fist balled at his side.
Hiccup had punched Dagur square in the face.
"Whoa," said Tuffnut, looking awed, while Astrid and Fishlegs' jaws dropped. "Hiccup has a great left-hook."
"But he's left-handed," said Ruffnut. "Shouldn't it be called a right-hook?"
"I don't care what you call it," said Tuffnut, "but that was awesome."
"Wow," said Fishlegs. "I have never seen that before."
"And trust me," said Snotlout. "It hurts a lot more than it looks. I would know." He rubbed his jaw slightly as if for emphasis.
Dagur finally lowered one hand from his face, the other hand still clutching his nose. "Wow, brother," he said, his voice a nasally croak compared to what it normally was. "You know, when I saw your fist coming at me, I didn't expect it to hurt. But...wow...you're full of surprises, aren't you, Hiccup?"
Hiccup didn't respond. "Dagur," he said, "if you value your life, or the lives of your men at all, you will back down, and leave Dragon's Edge."
Dagur sighed. "You said it yourself," he said. "You know me too well. I'm sure my answer has already crossed your mind, brother."
"Then I know my response has already crossed yours," said Hiccup flatly.
Dagur narrowed his eyes and yanked a hidden dagger from his belt, preparing to drive it forward. But before he got far, Hiccup pulled a likewise hidden knife from his own belt and met Dagur's blow with a parry.
Dagur's confidence wavered. "You cheated," he said.
"So far I could say the same thing to you, brother," Hiccup spat.
Dagur smiled cruelly. "So," he said, "it's down to this."
"Back to the way it always was," said Hiccup.
"Me," said Dagur, "against you."
"And may the best man win," said Hiccup.
The Berserkers charged, and Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, and the twins, weapons raised, met them in battle.
…
Dagur's second team of Berserkers crept through the Edge, towards their assigned location. They stopped directly outside of the door, listening closely.
"This is it," said the leader of the second team to the rest of his men. "Draw your weapons. It's going to put up a fight."
The Berserkers drew their axes and crossbows and waited for the right moment. The first Berserker kicked the door open and raced inside, the rest of his men flanking him.
Ember whirled around and screeched. He spread his wings, preparing to fly off, but one bola thrown from another Berserker was all it took before his wings were pinned to his side, and he fell back to the ground once again.
Ember thrashed and screeched in terror.
Outside the residence, on a nearby cliff, two dark silhouettes of dragons raised their heads. They heard their hatchling's cries and instantly spread their wings and shot off in that direction, following the roars of their young one.
"Hello, Night Fury," the first Berserker said, lowering his crossbow. Ember thrashed all the harder against his bonds, but to no avail. "Easy does it…"
The Berserker stepped forward, towards him.
That was as far as he got before a gigantic purple blast like a firework knocked him off his feet and threw him against the wall.
Toothless, teeth unsheathed, eyes narrowed in dangerous fury, put himself between Ember and the Berserkers. The Berserkers who remained clutched their weapons tighter, eyes wide in horror.
"Dagur didn't say we'd have to deal with this one," one of them squeaked to their companion.
"The plan doesn't change," spat another Berserker. "Take them down!"
Toothless growled.
It was on.
…
"HICCUP! CATCH!" Snotlout shouted, yanking Hiccup's sword from the ground and throwing it over. Hiccup made a hasty parry with his knife before dropping it, catching his sword from the air, and meeting Dagur's next blow with his sword.
"Thanks, Snotlout!" Hiccup shouted back over his shoulder.
Snotlout saluted and charged towards the nearest Berserker. He moved quickly and knocked the Berserker clean out with the butt of his sword. Across from him, Astrid ran, leapt against the side of a tree, and used the momentum to knock an unsuspecting Berserker to the ground.
Ruffnut and Tuffnut were holding their own pretty well, too. While Tuffnut acted as a distraction, Ruffnut ran up behind the Berserker and knocked him clean out. The twins bashed heads together to celebrate their achievement before turning and repeating their battle strategy on the next Berserker they fought.
Fishlegs was in the background, triggering Ruffnut and Tuffnut's trap doors beneath the Berserkers' feet and sending them dropping through the ground, unable to help their fellows.
And of course, Hiccup took Dagur. Dagur was skilled with a dagger, and when one of his men threw him his axe, he fought all the better, but at the same time, Hiccup was skilled with a sword.
Dagur couldn't beat him.
"Call off your men, Dagur," Hiccup said, parrying with Dagur, their weapons clashing together. "Call them off now, and I'll withdraw the dragon riders."
"No can do, brother!" said Dagur, and he thrust his weapon forward; Hiccup knocked his axe back and stepped backwards, pausing momentarily to catch his breath.
But when Dagur struck another blow, Hiccup was forced to retaliate.
He had a backup plan himself, of course.
And it was time to put it in action.
"TOOTHLESS!" he shouted as loudly as he could.
…
The first of the Berserkers charged, and all it took was another plasma blast from Toothless to scare them off or throw them against the walls. Ember finally managed to wriggle himself from the bola, and when he did, he spat a small plasma blast against the nearest Berserker. Even though the blast was small and poorly aimed, the Berserker was blown off his feet and back out the door.
The other Berserkers began to approach…
But they didn't get far.
Two dark figures leapt from behind, growling and snarling like mad and attacking the Berserkers to the ground. Toothless stared at them, wondering what he was watching, while Ember looked on with slightly more enthusiasm.
The Berserkers who weren't unconscious got up and ran. Even with their weapons, they were no match against four dragons. As soon as the Berserkers had gone, the two black dragons turned and looked at Toothless.
They had rings of purple scales around their eyes, and other scales around their front legs like bracelets. The edges of their wings were tinted purple.
Not Night Furies.
Ember raced forward excitedly with a squeal, towards the two dragons, and the two dragons roared in joy and embraced Ember, their wings wrapped tightly around him.
Toothless watched them, feeling slightly awkward. This meant...Ember wasn't really a Night Fury. He looked a bit like one, as did his parents, but now that Toothless saw Ember together with his parents, he realized.
One of the two Not-Night Furies lifted their head and approached Toothless steadily, staring at him with toxic green eyes. Toothless stared back, waiting for something.
The black and purple dragon bowed respectfully to him, and after a moment, Toothless bowed respectfully back.
Then, suddenly, a voice rang through Toothless' ears; the echo of a voice shouting his name.
A voice he recognized.
By the looks of it, Ember and his parents had heard the scream, too, because they looked up and out the door in question. Toothless instantly barreled past them, racing towards the forest, and the three dragons behind him quickly followed to investigate.