Sorry I've been gone so long, life got in my way. Anyway I'm back, expect chapters for Rebels of the Ring and The Fate of Captain Sicarius (perhaps not in that order) soon!

Within an hour of Farin's 'ride' the other riders have all finally gathered in the clubhouse and had breakfast, it was then that Eldacar asked "Pardon my asking, I was wondering if any of you would be so kind as to spar with me in a few minutes. For my fighting muscles have tightened up since I had awoken, and I really should loosen them."

Snotlout opened his mouth to answer but Astrid beat him to the punch, "Sure! I'll spar with you!"

Snotlout sulked in his chair, and Amroth said "Be careful Lady Astrid, for Eldacar was trained by Glorfindel, an Elf Lord of great power, and one of the finest weapon-masters left in this age of the world."

Astrid looked over at Amroth and said "Thanks, but last time I checked, we saved you."

Amroth holds his hands up in a placating gesture and says, "You make a fair point"

Ten Minutes Later, Training Arena… Astrid was loosening up her muscles by swinging her axe around her body in circles, Eldacar preforming similar motions with his broadsword.

"Are you ready?" asked Astrid

Eldacar nods, assuming a battle-stance

Astrid made the first move, bringing her axe down towards Eldacar's head, not that she would have actually struck him, and Eldacar brought the flat of his blade to block her axe and stopped the blow.

The onlookers could see Astrid's muscles straining as she continued to push forward with her axe, sparks flying off the two pieces of metal, though Eldacar seemed to not even break a sweat.

Suddenly, Eldacar pushed her blade to the side and deftly swung himself under the return blow, sending Astrid reeling towards the side of the ring.

She leapt back towards him with a wide slash that would have felled a young oak, but he sucked in his stomach and the blow passed well in front of him. He returned with a strike that would have neatly chopped off her arm at the elbow, but she was able to block before it got anywhere near her flesh.

So it went for over a minute, until Eldacar fell into a three-point stance and swept out his left leg, catching hers and sending her tumbling to the ground, she rolled away from where she believed Eldacar would strike, but instead found his blade poised two inches from her neck, him having anticipated her next move.

She breathed heavily for a moment or two and then raised her hands, signaling her concession. Suddenly both parties heard clapping from around the ring, the other riders, Farin, and Amroth all applauding the match.

Eldacar lowered his blade and offered a hand to the prone Astrid, which she readily accepted, and he hauled her to her feet.

"Good match" she said, still breathing heavily

"Thank you, you are quite a fearsome opponent." Said Eldacar, with only the faintest hint of labored breathing.

It so happens that this was only the third match Astrid had ever lost in adulthood, one against her father, one against Stoick, and now one against Eldacar.

The other riders quickly surrounded Eldacar and began asking him questions about his fighting techniques, their words came so fast that Eldacar couldn't respond and had to hold up his hands to calm them down.

"Please, please." he said "One at a time."

Suddenly a panicked Terrible Terror flits down upon Hiccup's shoulder, cawing wildly.

Everyone is silenced via curiosity as Hiccup pulls off the sheaf of paper attached to its leg and breaks the seal.

Hiccup's eyes widen, and he says "It's from Mala! She says her island is under attack from more Dragon Hunters than she'd ever seen before!"

Immediately, and like a well-oiled trebuchet, the riders are running around gathering supplies and calling their Dragons, leaving the three Middle-Earthers caught up in the chaos.

Finally, Hiccup mounts Toothless as the riders mount their Dragons and he shouts "Let's go!"

The befuddled trio finally make their confusion known, and Farin shouts "What's goin' on!"

Hiccup screeches to a halt and, seemingly remembering their guests, says "Uh, one of our allies is under attack, we're going to help! Can you three keep The Edge under control."

Farin opens his mouth to ask to go with them, but Eldacar elbows him and points to Amroth's leg, still not in proper fighting shape. Then Eldacar says "It will be our honor, Master Hiccup."

Hiccup nods gratefully and the riders are soon specks in the distance…

Three days later… "I am worried about our new friends" says Amroth, the past few days have been very dull, mainly comprised of cleaning the edge, save the riders private rooms, where they'd dare not move a thing… besides that includes the massive mess in Ruff and Tuff's room, not a task for the faint of heart.

"It has been three days" Amroth continues, "and we have seen no sign of them, it bodes ill."

Eldacar nods, then elbows Farin awake.

Suddenly, the panicked roaring of a Dragon is heard, and the three rush outside.

Meatlug is coming in for an erratic landing, Fishlegs slumped over her back, an arrow protruding obviously from his shoulder.

As Meatlug lands, Fishlegs slides off, Eldacar catching him before he can hit the ground.

As Farin runs over to help Eldacar with the near comatose Fishlegs, Amroth whispers to Meatlug, and she slowly calms down. For the elves have a special rapport with the birds and beasts of the world.

As soon as Meatlug is in her stall, a task which takes several minutes, Amroth dashes to Fishlegs hut, his leg now fully healed.

As Amroth enters he sees Farin leaning on his axe while Eldacar deals the bleeding from the wound in Fishlegs shoulder, Fishlegs is stripped to the waist and is laying partially under a blanket in his bed, Eldacar has cast aside the arrow and is now tenderly bandaging the wound.

Even with all three of them working towards Fishlegs recovery, it is still a day before he awakens. Eldacar is on Legs' watch, and suddenly hears a moan, his head shoots up and he calls for the others.

Soon Fishlegs opens his eyes to be greeted by our three companions, he immediately screams and tries to sit up but Farin pushes him back down.

Fishlegs is breathing heavily and looking from Eldacar to Farin to Amroth, then back to Eldacar, all of whom are wearing concerned faces.

"Master Fishlegs" says Eldacar "What happened to you? Where are the others?"

Fishlegs lays back down and, closing his eyes, says "We were ambushed on the way to Mala's island, it must have been a trick. They were all taken out by Viggo's ship, please, rescue them."

Eldacar stands up, his face set with a grim expression, he will not allow his companions to fall into the grip of the Shadow.

"Master Fishlegs" says Amroth "Do you have a boat?"

Fishlegs shakes his head and says "Tame a dragon, make sure it can trust you…" then falls back into unconsciousness.

"Let's go" says Eldacar "We have to save them, I have given him some poultices that will heal him while we're gone…"

Farin interrupts with "Are ye insane!? Us tamin' a dragon!?"

"We will do what we must" says Eldacar