Disclaimer: Don't even own the name of this chapter or this story. Thanks, Grieg!

Author's Note: I got the idea for this story on the way to work, listening to that Grieg piece on the radio. All I could picture was Toothless up in the sky, evading a crazy Dagur and the Skrill. This was the scene I couldn't wait to write from the beginning. Let me know how it turns out! Trying to get this story done before I go to a summer program for a month.

Isn't water the Skrill's one weakness? Toothless asked as they soared up into the clouds.

Yes…

And there's no water for miles…

I know, but maybe if we hide in the clouds we can surprise him… It sounded like Hiccup was running out of ideas. Watch out!

A bolt of lightning shot past, the Night Fury swerved to avoid it. The higher they climbed, the more lighting spewed at them from all directions, illuminating the dragons and their riders against the moonless sky. Dagur and his dragon weren't working particularly well together, especially when it came to direction: Dagur spun the poor creature around in a circle, hoping one of the bolts would shoot Toothless down.

Even though his aim was pathetic, the Skirll could still do the pair a lot of damage because of the large amounts of metal they were wearing. Toothless' heart beat faster every time a bolt came anywhere near Hiccup's left leg.

Okay, you were right, Hiccup sighed; Guess the clouds weren't such a good idea after all.

Toothless dived into the huge canyon, down, down. The wind in his face made it hard to see He and Hiccup adjusted their prostheses accordingly, rider holding fast to the dragon with his calves, Toothless playing limp. The Night Fury fired at the Skrill, who was descending on them. Somehow, Dagur wildly directed the dragon out of harm's way.

We don't want to hurt him, said Hiccup, we just need to bring him down. I think he and I should have a little chat.

Toothless knew that by "he", Hiccup meant the Skrill, because they both knew that Hiccup wanted to hurt Dagur very badly for what he had done to his father.

Toothless aimed more carefully this time… Purple fire hit the Skrill's wing and his body sunk into the canyon. He didn't fall very far. He caught himself on one of the ledges. Hiccup adjusted Toothless' tail and they landed on a ledge across the canyon from the dragon. Dagur rose to his feet. Where in Valhalla did he get all his energy?

"You can't win, Hiccup!" called Dagur from across the canyon, "You can never be King of the Wilderwest! Only I can rule this wild land! Only I have such strength! Only I have such power!"

"Are you sure about that?" said Hiccup wryly, "You and whose army? The trappers have gone. The dragons have fled. It's over."

Chuckling, Dagur replied, "I wouldn't be too sure about that, my dear Hiccup! I have the Skrill! The only dragon worthy of a fight with your magnificent Night Fury! You cannot win! This is my precious mountain, my precious canyon! Soon all of the Wilderwest will bow to me!"

During this futile speech, the Skrill had recovered, and shot a bolt of lightning at Toothless. Luckily the Night Fury shielded Hiccup from harm, jumped out of the way, and reflexively fired a plasma blast. Crack! The ledge Dagur was standing on crumbled. Instinctively, the Skrill pulled its feet from the crumbing rock and kept itself in the air as Dagur fell down, down, down into the Hall of the Mountain King…

Now's your chance... whispered Toothless.

His rider did not understand. W- what? What do you mean?

Taking a deep breath, Toothless called to the Skrill, Listen, it doesn't have to be like this. We don't have to fight.

He'll kill me, mumbled the Skrill in a worried voice, He'll kill me if I don't.

If you come with us, we can help you. Hiccup offered.

The symbol of the Beserk province trembled. This was not the fearsome beast of legends. He looked so small in the vast landscape of rocky ruin. No one can help me, He moaned, there's no hope left.

There is always hope! Hiccup insisted.

Inching carefully off the rocky ledge towards the dragon, Toothless whispered, Come with us. We can keep you safe.

No! Stop! Don't come any closer! The Skrill recoiled.

We're not going to hurt you. Said Hiccup.

But if he could see me now… In an attempt to regain control, he shot a half-hearted bolt of lightning at them. It landed nowhere close to the Night Fury or the prince. He would hurt me. I just… I can't. Leave me.

They ignored the Skrill's warnings. As they came closer, Toothless noticed large gashes its legs where Dagur had plunged many a sword. His wings were tattered, the spines on his back drooping. Up close, he was truly a pathetic sight, backed against the canyon wall.

Hiccup held out his arm. I am so, so sorry for the terrible things he has done to you. And I know we can't undo them… Toothless knew Hiccup was thinking of Stoick. But we can at least try.

Conflicted, the Skrill looked from his master and to this strange boy. Toothless looked down too. It appeared as if Dagur had regained consciousness. Axe in one hand, arrow in the other, crossbow slung over his back, sword in his teeth, he was climbing the canyon back to his defeated little dragon.

"It takes more than a fall to be rid of me!" he cried from below, "Soon you will be mine!"

Shut him out, buddy, just shut him out, urged Hiccup, closing his eyes and reaching forward. It always made Toothless so nervous when he did that! It's alright… His hand was inches away from the dragon's nose. In Hiccup's haste to soothe the Skrill, he had not realized how fast Dagur was heading towards them. But Toothless did.

As the axe whizzed past, Toothless pulled away. The Skrill wasn't so lucky. The axe took off a huge chunk of its nose. Terrified, he let out a scream of pain and he flapped off.

No! called Hiccup. While they were distracted, Dagur leapt crazily like a cat from ledge to ledge, and onto Toothless' head. He grabbed hold. Hammy hands shielded the Night Fury's eyes. He tried not to thrash about, trying to keep Hiccup safe. He could feel Hiccup trying to wrestle Dagur off him.

Toothless!

"At last! He's mine!"

"Bastard, let him go!"

"You're mine! Both of you! All mine! Ahahahahahhaa!"

With a strength Toothless didn't know the boy had, Hiccup threw himself forward. Dagur's hands fell from the Night Fury's eyes. As Toothless' eyes readjusted to the darkness, he saw that Hiccup had landed on a nearby ledge. He was wrestling Dagur, and to Toothless' surprise, the one-legged prince was overpowering the demented villain.

"No one hurts my dragon!"

Dagur seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.

"You may have murdered my father, but you will not take Toothless from me!" Hiccup drew his fire sword. Dagur drew his own. There was a fire in Hiccup's eyes Toothless had never seen before. This was not going to be good…

Hiccup, stop! Cried Toothless. But Hiccup did not listen. Anger had overtaken him. This wasn't him. Toothless knew only he could bring him to his senses. He shot the sword from Dagur's hand. At that same moment, Toothless heard a huge cry from above. Suddenly, an enormous Stealth Dragon swooped out of the ether, picking up Dagur in its claws. Because this dragon camouflaged itself perfectly with its surroundings, it looked for a moment as if Dagur had learned to fly.

Cries of Freedom! rang from the skies as fire-breathing creatures of all sizes, species, and colors soared above them. The dragons had returned. And they'd brought backup. They were angry. Dagur had kept them imprisoned for years. They'd never seen daylight, never seen their families, never fly… and they were hungry.

Oh no… whispered Toothless, finally bringing Hiccup to his senses. Upon hearing the dragon's voice, the prince dropped his sword, rushed to his best friend, and wrapped his arms around his dragon neck.

Toothless! Are you alright, bud? Did he hurt you? He checked every inch of the Night Fury's scaly body for any damage.

I'm fine…

Ohh, thank goodness.

But it doesn't look like he's going to be, he said darkly.

Above them, Dagur struggled against the entire army of dragons who had turned on him. Even though this is what they had planned, this was not how they had imagined it. The dragons sank their fangs into his biceps, stabbed him in the chest… Hiccup shivered. Dagur was as good as dead.

Come on, Hiccup hopped onto Toothless' back, Let's find Astrid and the others.

The mountain had finally stopped crumbling. They were able to rescue all the knights and dragons from the rubble. Thank goodness, every knight and dragon still had all their limbs, except for Gobber, who had come into the battle with only two.

When they rescued Astrid, she was livid. She punched Hiccup in the arm with a new level of ferocity that made any other previous violence she'd done to him look like child's play. "What the hell was that?! You broke your promise! I can't believe y-"

Hiccup silenced her with a passionate kiss.

"Ugch, let's get out of here," said Snotlout, disgusted by the two, "I think I just threw up in my mouth." No one needed to be told twice. They took to the skies. Dagur's screams had been drowned out by Dragonese cries of victory.

Once they cleared the Mystic Mountains, Toothless heaved a sigh of relief. We did it, Hiccup. We won. He's gone. They're free.

You're right bud. We did.

Stoick would have been proud of you.

He would have been proud of you too, bud.

Toothless showed his teeth in that strange way that humans did. What had Hiccup called it? Oh right. A smile…