Hi everyone. I hope you're still enjoying summer.
Hiccup's POV
RAWWWWWWW.
-What was that, Owen asks.
Surprised by that dragon's roar, we stand up and walk outside. We all stand in front of Tarell's house and from there, I see Hookfang flying in circles above the village, roaring continuously.
-What is he doing, Tarell asks.
-It seems like a distress call, Fishlegs says.
A distress call? Worried, I start running toward our camp, followed by the others. I arrive at the enormous semi-circular building, but from there I forgot the quickest way to the Center place. Barf and Belch then come flying fast from the forest, answering Hookfang. There is another roar coming from above us and Stormfly land in front of us followed by Toothless.
-Hey, do you know what's happening, I ask Toothless.
He grunts before gesturing to his back with his head. I get the message and climb on him and can't help but notice all the dust on his scales with a scratch that wasn't there before.
-Euh, did you have a fight or something?
He coos, his wings moving slightly. The bruise is superficial and will heal quickly anyway so I focus on the others. Stormfly lay on the ground to allow Fishlegs to mount her while Tarell tries to catch his breath.
-I know a shortcut, Tarell then inform us. Give me a minute and I'll rejoin you.
-I'll stay with him, Owen says. We never know.
I nod before giving Toothless the signal to take off. We fly directly toward the camp so it doesn't take more than a minute to rejoin it. Astrid and the twins are there with Hookfang, Meatlug, Falla and Barf and Blech but everyone seems to be agitated, moving around and talking loudly. We land just behind them and I dismount Toothless. I then notice Snotlout sleeping against a rock with Hookfang around him but, he's not asleep. He's unconscious.
-Hiccup, Fishlegs, Astrid says when she sees us. We have a problem. Drago is gone.
WHAT. I turn toward the wall where Drago was attached. He's not here. No, no, no, no, no, no.
Fishlegs kneel in front of Snotlout.
-Snotlout? Come on, wake up man, he says shaking him as Hookfang whines.
-IN COMIIIIIING.
We all turn to see the twins running with one of their saddles bag in their arms. It's filled with water that they directly throw on Snotlout face. My cousin immediately opens his eyes and jump, breathing heavily.
-Who? Who did this, he asks angrily gesturing to his soaked face.
The twins look at their bag before hiding it behind them with a big no-innocent smile while Snotlout sent them a deadly glare.
-Yep, he's fine, Fishlegs says.
-Snotlout, what happened, I ask.
-I…I don't know, he responds rubbing his temples. I was alone, searching for something to eat and when I turned back, Drago was in front of me and then…I'm not sure, it's all black.
-What? You were supposed to watch him and YOU LET HIM ESCAPE, I practically yell in his face.
-Hiccup, calm down, Astrid says putting her hand on my shoulder.
-I'm sorry, Snotlout apologizes clearly uncomfortable. I just didn't see it coming.
-What didn't you see coming, Owen asks as he arrives with Tarell.
-Drago escaped, I answer. We have to track him down.
-That won't be easy, Ruff exclaims. He could hide anywhere in this village. If he isn't already in the forest.
-We don't have the choice. Astrid, can Stormfly track his scent?
Astrid looks at her dragon. Stormfly groans in a disgusted way, earning some growls and grunts from the other dragon. Defeated, she starts to sniff the harness I made when we captured Drago to transport him. We follow her as she walks inside the village. Not reassured, I decided to divide the riders in three teams: the twins fly above us, Fishlegs and Snotlout walk at a certain distance on the left with their dragon while I follow Stormfly with Astrid and Toothless. Owen and Tarell chosen to stay at the camp with Falla. Stormfly stops at an intersection, questioning if we should go left or right. Come on, don't lose him. She sniffs again the air and the road before choosing right. I signal Fishlegs before continuing. We leave the village in the direction of the forest.
-Hey, are you alright, Astrid murmurs to me.
I respond on the same tone.
-Of course. Why wouldn't I be?
-Well first of all, you still have your weapon in your hand.
I look at my left hand to see Inferno in it, even if the blade is retracted.
-And you've been tense ever since you learned Drago escaped.
I sight, putting Inferno back in its place on my left thigh.
-Maybe but I have good reasons. He destroyed his own birth village, wiped out an entire species of dragon, attacked Berk, killed my dad.
I almost yelled the last two so I try to calm down before continuing.
-I can't just let him escape.
-So you want to imprison him on Berk?
-I don't know but I don't want to just coldly kill him. It would make us as bad as him and it would be too easy.
-You're not wrong. I'm just wondering if it's worth the risk.
-Don't worry, I say looking at her. I won't make the same mistake again.
I know that if I had the courage to immediately kill him during the battle of the sanctuary, a lot of lives would have been spared, including my dad. It's my biggest regret.
Astrid then takes my right hand in hers and smile warmly.
-I trust you and will follow your lead.
I smile back as we enter the forest. Stormfly seems to have trouble following the scent from there. She walks all around us, trying the catch the scent again, during one or two minutes. Toothless tries to help her but he seems even more lost than her. Stormfly then turns toward Astrid and squeak sadly.
-She lost the track.
-Damn Helheim, I curse.
The others soon rejoin us with their dragons.
-Okay guys, I tell them. Stormfly lost Drago but we know he's been here. We are not taking any risk so everyone continues the search in the sky. Tell your dragon to roar if you find him.
We all take off on our dragons. The twins stay not far from the village while Snotlout and Fishlegs goes to the right side of the forest. Astrid and I continue on the left. Drago couldn't have gone too far, so I hope will catch him from the sky. The forest isn't too thick but there are still some places where he could hide so the dragons have to fly slowly and in a zigzags.
We soon arrive close to a hole in the forest. Intrigued, I direct Toothless toward it. It's a vast clearing that has been filled with rows of large stones half a human's size and spaced one meter apart each. There must be more than several hundred of them disposed in a square and in the middle, there is someone. Drago. I look briefly at Astrid before flying toward the ground. Toothless and Stormfly land ten meters behind him, Astrid and I jump on the ground, our weapons out and ready. I look around in this field of rocks. It looks like a cemetery Vikings make after an important battle or war. Drago is on his two knees, his back facing us. We start walking toward him, each on one side of him, careful not to damage these sacred rocks. He must know we're here but he doesn't react.
-It's over, I say pointing Inferno at his back.
Astrid stay with me while Toothless walk to the right and Stormfly to the left, both snarling.
He doesn't move nor answer, he just keeps looking at two rocks in front of him.
-No, it's not, it will never be, he finally says.
-If you keep on fighting against us, it sure will never end, Astrid shot back.
Toothless and Stormfly are now facing Drago. He's surrounded but doesn't seem to care.
-It has nothing to do with you, or I, Drago continues. Whatever happen, we continue to lose our loved ones, our family, to these beasts. The only way to stop it was to force everyone to stop. I was so close but you ruined everything.
-Because you thought conquest and oppression was the answer, I cut him. Do you think they would agree with what you've done?
Astrid looks at me with a puzzled expression. I point to the two rocks Drago still looks at.
-Do you think your parents will be proud to see what you've become?
Astrid eyes widen, even Toothless and Stormfly have a brief moment of stupefaction while Drago let out a dry chuckle.
-That I will never know, not in this world at least, he says, and because of who.
Hearing this, Toothless growls and I suppose Drago sent him a glare.
-I have nothing left. I may as well end it now, he continues.
He then moves, so fast that it takes me a second to react but he's already close to me, a dagger in hand heading directly to my neck. Surprised, I try to move out of range while raising Inferno but it's too late. Something then hit Drago directly followed by a bright blue flash. By the time this is over, I just took a step back. I see Stormfly with her tail raised above her and Toothless mouth's is blue and fuming. Astrid is already on me as she too reacted. I turn toward Drago who has been projected on the ground behind me. One of Stormfly's spines is stuck on his torso and all his back was burned by Toothless plasma blast. Astrid and I rush toward him, followed by the dragons. Astrid kneels on his left and put two fingers on his neck as I look at him. He has a sad smile on his face.
-He's dead, she simply says.
I sight before looking at the dragons. There is no regret in their eyes but I can see they're a little uneasy, especially Toothless.
-Thank you, I tell them.
Toothless smiles as he walks toward me. I caress his head and he gently grunts as Astrid scratches Stormfly chin.
…
The night has now completely fallen has we arrive at our camp flying on our dragons. I can see a good fire illuminating it. All the others are here and they're happy to see us land.
-Ah there you are, Owen says. We were starting to get worried.
-Did you find him, Ruffnut asks.
-Duh, if it was the case, don't you think he would be with them, Tuffnut mocks.
-Give her a break, Fishlegs interrupts defending Ruffnut.
-Seriously, tell me he didn't vanish, Snotlout plead.
-Yes, we found him, Astrid answers. Long story short, he tried to kill Hiccup so Toothless and Stormfly killed him. We just dropped his body in the ocean.
The other first look at Hiccup, surprised that Drago tried to attack him with two dragons around, before letting out the breath they've been holding. The other dragons approach Toothless and Stormfly, certainly questioning them.
-I see but there is something else, Fishlegs then says. Tarell is not well.
What? Astrid and I follow Fishlegs to a wall on the side of the camp where Tarell is laying down under a blanket.
-What happened, I ask as both Astrid and I kneel at his right.
-It started not long after you left to find Drago, Owen explains with a sad tone, and it only got worse. He's dying.
-Then what are you waiting for, I say outraged at their inactivity. Help him, do we have some medicine?
-No, don't, Tarell weakly interrupts me. Let me.
-What? Why, Astrid asks.
-Because my time as come. *Coughs* Half my life, I spent it regretting the past, trying to keep it alive. I fought because I didn't want us to disappear like that. And then, you all came. You gave me the chance I never thought I would have.
He's clearly referring to his saga that he gave us.
-You showed me that not everything has been destroyed, he continues looking at Toothless and Falla. And now, Drago is dead. I can now go in peace.
I slowly stand up and look at Astrid as she does the same. Everyone gathers around Tarell, even the dragons, we're all saddened that he chose to leave like this but it's his choice. Toothless gently approach me and poke my arm with his nose, gaining my attention. He looks at Tarell, his back and then the black sky.
-Are you sure, I ask him.
He grunts approvingly. I smile, happy that he would suggest this.
-Tarell, I call and he looks at me. Have you ever flown on a Night Fury?
Falla's POV
When Toothless told Hiccup to propose at Tarell to fly, the human was very excited. Apparently, only a few of the members of his tribe flew on Night Furies.
Hiccup blocked the tail fin into an opened position which allowed Toothless to fly alone (I didn't know he could do that) using his extended spines. The only problem is that his flight isn't very stable and it wouldn't be safe for Tarell in his actual state.
This is why Toothless asked me to take him. He even used his big puppy-eyes, probably because he thought I would be against it. I was and I'm still. But I also felt bad for Tarell, after everything that happened to him which was part the fault of a Night Fury. So I accepted. Tarell was so happy that I finally let him touch me, and then climb on my back, that I feared he was going to faint.
Now, I'm flying with Toothless at my right and Tarell laying down on my back, his arms attached to my saddle so he doesn't fall. The cold air of the night added to the natural fresh air of the sky at this altitude nicely caress my scale as I pass under the bright moon. They are practically no clouds so we have a clear view of the entire Night Island, with the small fire indicating the position of our camp in the village followed by a very calm ocean illuminated by the stars. Tarell sight, fascinated by this sight, just like me.
I can feel him breathing strongly until it starts to decrease. I look at Toothless and with the expression on my face, he quickly understands. We both make a last slow and large turn above the island as Tarell grip on my saddle slowly loosen.
That was a emotional chapter, no? As always, please leave a review and I promise to respond to it as fast as I can.
Next chapter will come tomorrow so stay tune.
Take care and until next time.