Without warning, Eric took to the sky. He headed in the direction of the Dragon Hunters' last known location.

"Eric! Eric, come back!" Liliana called out, but to no avail.

"What do we do?" Hiccup asked, obviously concerned.

"We… let him go."

"WHAT?!" everyone exclaimed.

"I know it seems wrong, but we need to let him blow off some steam. He'll be back fine."

Meanwhile, an angry Eric sped towards a lightning storm. Knowing the Hunters would avoid it, he decided to take a shortcut.

They will suffer, I swear.

The clouds then parted, revealing a shining sun, and an armada of Hunter ships. But it was more than just another fleet.

That's Drago Bludvist's ship! I can take him out here!

Taking out the weaker patrol ships first, Eric divebombed and incinerated them in blue flames. Men lit aflame screamed, flinging themselves overboard or burning up on the fiery decks.

Not satisfied yet, Eric attacked some of the Hunters' dragons, devouring the riding Dragon Hunters, freeing them of their uncomfortable armor and directing them towards Berk.

Finally, it was time to strike at Drago.

Eric swooped down and saw Drago swinging his bullhook and yelling intensely. Suddenly, the water erupted, revealing his huge Bewilderbeast with its lost tusk.

"Oh, Thor!" Eric said before facing a wall of ice.

"Catch him!" Drago ordered, and the Bewilderbeast responded with a growl, turning towards the lone dragon.

Eric fired at the Bewilderbeast's face, attempting to hit Drago, but the feared Dragon Hunter managed to take cover in the monster's spikes.

As Eric attempted to escape from his dive, he felt a sudden dull pain across half of his body. The Bewilderbeast whacked him with his tail, and now Eric was in freefall until he hit the wooden deck of Drago's vessel.

Before he had a chance to react, Eric was locked within a cage and surrounded by clamoring Dragon Hunters. Then, they fell silent at once when a huge figure emerged off the Bewilderbeast.

"You belong to me now, son of Fafnir," Drago said coldly.

The last thing Eric saw before everything went dark was a Hunter firing a blowdart of Dragon Root at him.

A few hours pass, and Liliana, along with the rest of the Riders on the Edge, grow worried. Realizing that there is no time left, she transforms into her dragon form and takes to the sky, followed by the Riders.

When Eric awoke, he was in a cell within a cave, dimly lit by two torches. He heard constant dragon roars, some sounding as if they're in pain or fear.

Then, clanging was heard. A guard banged his mace against the bars of Eric's cell.

"Wake up! It's story time."

"What's… what's going on?"

"You're going to tell us everything that you know. Now, get up."

The guard entered the cell and dragged the weak Eric to another chamber. It was a open and wide expanse in the cave, large enough to house the Bewilderbeast. A single ray of sunlight reached through and shined on a large slab in the center.

The guard placed Eric on the slab and tied ropes to restrain him. Drago then walked up to Eric, struggling to break free.

"Now, you will tell me where the boy Hiccup and his friends are."

Eric, determined to resist, stared back in silence. He then grinned and began to laugh.

"Fine," Drago responded. "You leave me no choice." He then pointed his bullhook at Eric, and the Bewilderbeast began to hypnotize Eric.

Eric felt unbearable pain in his head. His vision flashed bright and dark, loud ringing pierced his ears, and he felt a burning sensation all over his body.

"My control over the dragons can get me anything I want. Now, give it to me!"

The Bewilderbeast focused more, and the pain intensified. Eric couldn't take it anymore.

"AGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"