Chapter 25

"So, they're like a beehive, and this big dragon, she's the queen."

"Exactly," I said. I absently scratched Fishbone's chin. I had put Twitch away, but he was small enough to stick around. "She controls them, like has them in some kind of hypnotic trance or something. I know how to knock Toothless out of his, but I don't know if it would work with other dragons."

Before she could ask how, I took out the Dragon Repellent and handed it to her. She studied it, turning it over a couple of times, brow crinkled.

"Wait a second," she said. "Isn't this that thing Fishlegs made?"

"Yep." I took the whistle back. "Turned out to be a lot more useful than we thought."

"Okay." She glanced up at Fishbone, who was staring at her intensely. "What now?"

"I don't know. We can't fight her. Not like we would a regular dragon. Astrid, she's huge. Bigger than the Great Hall." I held my arms out for emphasis.

"But she's just a dragon," Astrid said. "Can't . . .?"

I cut over her. "No, we can't. She's not just a regular dragon. She's a monster."

Astrid's lips thinned. I could see that she still didn't really understand just how dire the situation was. "Then what's your plan?"

"I don't know." I rested my chin atop my clasped hands. "I promised Toothless I would do something, but I don't know what."

"Have you told your father?" she asked.

"No!" I saw the surprise on her face, and hurriedly said, "No, no way. We can't tell him about this."

"But-"

"No!" A bolt of anxious energy coursed through my body, enough so that I squirmed and had to stand. "Astrid, if I tell him, the only words he will hear is 'dragon' and 'nest'. He won't understand."

"What if you show him," she asked, "like you showed me?"

I shook my head. "I wouldn't get past the introduction with Fishbone before Dad wrung one of their necks."

"I guess." She sighed. "This would have been a lot easier if we had more time. You could have told people earlier."

"No one would understand," I lamented.

"I did," she countered.

"Okay, well, uh . . ." I swear I had something intelligent to say. It just tripped over my tongue, that's all.

"How do you expect people to understand if you don't tell them what's going on?" she said.

I frowned. "It's not that simple."

She made a noise of disbelief.

I squeezed my fists. Reminded myself that Astrid had listened to me; she had given me a chance. She was on my side, for good or for worse. For good really, since her cooperation was critical for what happened next.

I sat down next to her again. "I don't know what to do about the queen, but we have to do something about the exam."

"Hiccup, I'm not going to walk into the ring and let the Nightmare eat me!" she said hotly.

"I know, I know." I lifted my hands and slowly lowered them in a placating gesture. Fishbone noticed and tried to copy me. "I think I have an idea. Just trust me."

She looked at me. Really looked at me.

"Okay."

We stared at each other.

Fishbone finally decided to attack.

I spent most of the next week divided between three things: setting up my plan, walking though said plan with Astrid, and forcing myself to walk again. I needed to have at least some mobility that didn't involve waddling around like a baby bird. It was for the best, too; though the peg-leg worked, it hurt after a while (just after a couple of days, I had blisters all over my thigh to join those around my burns).

Thankfully, a week later, and here I was. I could place some weight on my leg now, so I had a conventional splint to go along with my cane. It still hurt, especially if I stumbled and ended up putting more than a little weight on my leg, but it was exactly what I needed.

And just in time. Today? Today was the day. It was Astrid's exam, our big chance to show the others that what we were doing was wrong. It also might be the day I was finally eaten by a dragon, but I was doing my best not to think about that.

Anyways, the plan. I did have one, not necessarily a good one, but one regardless. That's why I was currently sitting in Fishbone's cage, huddled by the food flap as the Vikings cheered in anticipation of Astrid's final test. If all went well, I could stay in his cage, but if not, I was here.

With Fishbone chittering on my shoulder, I poked the food flap open with my cane and peeked out. From here, I could barely see Astrid waiting in the gate. Her expression was impossible to see, but the way she stood seemed as confident and solid as ever. If it came down to it. . . I think she would still kill the Nightmare. Her axe wasn't in her hand, but placed in the center along with all the other weapons she could choose from. Not that she would choose another; that's why it was right in the center of the rack, where its polished edge glinted with sunlight.

I let the flap swing shut, knowing that no one in the audience would notice. They wouldn't notice anything on this end, not while Astrid waited in the gate. To Fishbone, I hissed, "You stay in here, okay? I know the Nightmare's one of you guys, but he's going to be really freaked out once that door opens. I don't want you getting hurt."

Then, cheers. They drowned out even the sound of my own thoughts. I peeked through the flap; Gobber had just left the Arena, signalling Astrid to enter. She was taking steady, but slow steps, too slow. She was worried.

"Everything's going to work out," I whispered to myself.

She took that last step, and the gate fell shut behind her. The sudden clang made both of us jump, even if the cheering was much louder. She looked back, as if regretting her decision, and then turned her eyes to the crowd. Shouts of "Astrid! Astrid!" engulfed the Arena as she shyly raised her hand and waved, and then those shouts turned into a delighted roar.

When she reached the weapon rack, she didn't even hesitate. She grabbed a shield, and then her axe and swung it upward so that part of the shaft rested on her shoulder. The motion made her bangs swing, at least swing as much as they could under that horned helmet.

Her eyes settled on the spectator's area above the Nightmare's cage. No doubt, that was where Dad sat. I wondered if he had looked for me in the crowd; as far as he knew, I was with the other teens (and the other teens thought I was hiding behind him).

Astrid planted her feet. I couldn't seem much of her expression, but the pause told me enough.

Then, silence.

Astrid signalled her readiness, and the silence grew even louder.

I let the flap swing shut, and listened to the creak of the wooden stake being removed.

Dust fell from the ceiling as the Nightmare's cage slammed open. The silence broke; howls of draconic indignation bounced from wall to wall. Metal clinked as the Nightmare climbed across the ceiling, and there was a sudden burst of shouts and the crackle of flames.

A brief calm followed. I looked outside. The Nightmare was right in the center of the ring, attached to the webbing like a giant spider awaiting his prey. There was no fighting yet. That was good. The crowd had ended its hush, and a steady chant was beginning to gain ground. It was low, too quiet for me to hear the words, but I knew the general gist behind it.

It was time.

The Nightmare crawled down from the netting, walking on his wings like a bat. His pupils were slits, body arched and ready, and his upper lip trembled as he growled. Astrid walked backwards as he came toward her.

"Astrid," I murmured, "come on."

She was making her way back towards me and the cages, as I had told her to do. But she still wasn't doing what the plan required; she seemed transfixed, as if the Nightmare had caught her in some kind of spell.

"Astrid!" I hissed. Fishbone, disturbed by the harshness of my tone, chirped and crawled into my lap.

Then, she finally moved. I think she did, at least. The shield fell from her grasp so abruptly that it could have easily been misinterpreted as from fear. There were some murmurs, but nothing too concerned; axes were often easier to use with both hands anyways.

But then, she reached up. Grabbed the helmet. Sluggishly, her actions laced with hesitation, she let it drop.

That got their attention. Something was shouted – I don't know what or by whom- and Astrid flinched.

"No." Her voice seemed soft, but it carried. "It's okay. I know what I'm doing."

She held her hand out for the Nightmare to sniff, just as we had practiced with Twitch. But the Nightmare wasn't cooperating; there was a problem. Though Astrid had shed the shield and helmet, she didn't seem able to bring herself to let go of the axe. And although she held it behind her body, the Nightmare still knew it was there.

"See?" Snotlout's nasally voice floated through the Arena. "I told you she's luring it in. Astrid, let me just say that I love your plan!"

Ruffnut put her two cents in. "Yeah, now kill it!"

The teens cheered. Astrid jumped, and said, "No, that's not what I'm trying to show you–"

But it was too late. The cheers had spread, and soon enough others had picked it up. Cries of "Kill it! Kill it!" rang through the Arena like a demonic chant. Astrid's head swung from side to side, focusing on everything but the Nightmare as the noise started to agitate him. Her grip on the axe shifted.

She was cracking. Breaking under the pressure of choosing between what she needed to do, and what she had to do.

I had to go in.

I shoved Fishbone off my lap, forced myself to my feet, and strode into the light of the Arena.

Utter silence.

"Astrid," I whispered, "I'll take it from here."

She moved aside without a word. I think she was in some kind of shock. With determined steps (well, hobbles), I took her position and faced the Nightmare directly.

Then, someone spoke:

"H-Hiccup?"

Dad's voice was weak and breathless, like he had been stabbed in the gut. I could hear the seconds ticking down until the surprise wore off and I ran out of time.

"It's okay," I said, as much to the Nightmare as I did to Dad. To the Nightmare directly, I said, "I'm not one of them."

"Hiccup! Hiccup, get out of the ring!" Dad's hands were white as he clenched the bars.

"No!" I said. "I need you all to see this."

I held my arm out. Let the cane drop. The next step I took backward was shaky, vulnerable. The Nightmare glanced at the cane, making the connection between it and my sudden weakness. Understood that I had left myself to his mercy.

His eyes softened.

To the transfixed, watching crowd, I said, "They're not what we think they are."

"Astrid, get him away from there -!"

"We don't have to kill them."

The Nightmare was so close now. He had dipped his head a little, just enough so that his snout hovered under my palm. I could feel him tasting my scent, saw –

"Hiccup!"

The shout rattled my bones. There was a commotion as Dad shoved his way through the crowd and toward the gate. In his roughness, he bumped Gobber, and he fell into the bars. His hammer of a hand smashed into the iron, denting it -

And the next thing I knew, teeth were flying toward my face.

Boom. Pebbles bounced on the ground as the Nightmare charged over me and into the wall. Astrid was sprawled over top of me, having tackled me to save me from the Nightmare's wrath. A surge of heat slammed into my back. A foot to the side of me, the rocks were red.

The dragon howled. Astrid and I rolled away from each other as his foot slammed down, seeking to crush.

"Hiccup!"

I rolled onto my back, and my heart thumped loudly when I saw the Nightmare's eyes boring into my face. He opened his mouth . . . but the pommel of Astrid's axe slammed into his cheek, and then the Nightmare was after her.

Just then, Dad reached the gate. "This way!"

Dad charged into the Arena, lowered his shoulder, and bodily checked the Nightmare as he tried to set Astrid alight. Nearly slipping, she stumbled toward me, grabbed me by the arm, and virtually dragged me toward the gate.

Dad got there before us. He grabbed the gate, forced it up, and waved us through. We ran -

Suddenly, she pushed me back. Just before a stream of red-hot flames would have swallowed us whole. Astrid fell back into Dad, who threw her back behind the gate. He made a move toward me -

A sheet of near-liquid fire splashed over the gate. Embers rained down and the heat forced him back and behind the gate. The red metal was no longer safe for him to hold open, and the gate slammed down. I struggled to stand –

A red mass blocked out the sun.

And a clawed foot slammed down and held me fast to the ground.

I could hear people screaming my name. But they couldn't help me, not without spooking the Nightmare into going for the kill. Not that would make much difference, since by staying back, they were leaving me alone with a ferocious Nightmare.

The Nightmare's jaws creaked open.

My heart stopped.

And the Nightmare . . . sneezed?

Suddenly, his attention was no longer on me. While his foot remained in place, trapping me against the ground, the dragon himself paid me little mind. He threw his head up, snorted loudly, and I saw a flash of green –

The snout bashed against the ground, dislodging Fishbone from where he had tried to burrow into a nostril. The Terror rolled in a complete circle, then picked himself up onto his hind legs, and flared his wings, trying to look bigger. I looked back at his cage, where the food flap was still swinging.

My fear for myself turned to fear for him. "Fishbone, no!"

At seeing him, at seeing my tiny little friend baring his teeth at this humongous dragon, I had a sudden rush of sympathy for Dad. I understood what he had felt upon seeing me face down the Nightmare.

"Fishbone!" In vain, I pushed at the foot pinning me.

The Nightmare growled. His forked tongue, longer than Fishbone himself, flicked out. His mouth opened –

And Fishbone spat a fireball directly in it.

It was so small, the fireball, so small compared to the Nightmare. Yet when the orange flames vanished into the larger dragon's mouth, the Nightmare reeled back as if he had been punched. He went cross-eyed, and nearly shifted his weight off me.

But only for a moment. Then, he was back in all his glory. He shot a quick burst of flames at Fishbone, who snapped around and fled back to the cages. But instead of flying back through the flap into his or Twitch's cage, he attached himself to the lock of Grump's cage.

"Fishbone . . .?"

Above me, the Nightmare shot flames at Dad as he tried to get into the ring. Fishbone continued to grapple with the lock, biting and clawing it as if . . . as if . . .

Something uneasy stirred within me. Of all the dragons, I had always taken Fishbone out first. I had always put him back in last. He had always been there when I had fiddled with the locks on the others' cages. He had seen me undo them dozens of times.

He knew. He knew how to release the locks.

Just as I reached that revelation, there was a click.

Grump hurdled out.

Straight at the Nightmare.

Getting rammed by a Gronckle was like running headfirst into a boulder. So, it was perfectly understandable when the Nightmare was thrown off me and across the ring. He rolled, leaving a sizable dent in the ground, and regained his footing just as another click sounded. His eyes snapped to me, but before he could move, Twitch appeared and attached herself to his back. She dug her claws in as the Nightmare tried to buck her off, and the two snapped viciously at each other.

Then, the Nightmare threw itself against the wall. Twitch hit it, too, becoming dazed enough for the Nightmare to toss her off. Grump flew up, snarling, but a stream of fire warded him away, and the Nightmare bounded towards me.

Spzt. Directly behind me, Breyr sparked. Her other half had yet to release her gas, but the threat was clear. Beside me, pawing the ground like he was a bull, Fishbone growled. The Nightmare stopped short, hesitated. A growl built up –

A high-pitched whine invaded the Arena.

Screek!

I didn't get past the first syllable of his name before Toothless attacked.

The first shot tore the Arena's bars apart. The second slammed down between the Nightmare and me. That was enough for him. He yelped and retreated to the other side of the cage as far, far above, Toothless circled.

Then, at the same time as the other dragons, the Nightmare's eyes turned skyward.

One by one, each dragon flew for the hole.

And just like that, every single one was gone.

I stood, still in awe at what I had seen. My heart was pounding in my chest as I grabbed my cane, leaving me winded. I reeked of sweat and smoke, but I was alive. I was alive, the dragons were alive, and they were free. There was nothing fake about the wide smile that filled my face.

And it was with that smile that I saw Dad.

It was with that smile I remembered that though we were all alive, my plan had failed.

Next Chapter: Hiccup and Astrid are in trouble.

Review Response:

vangian13: Good question! It's actually non-applicable right now due to... well, you know what happened :)

As for what happens when the Green Death is killed, the answer is... the epilogue.

Guest FTG: Bread is a very important part of any Viking's diet!

randomreader WITH a profile: I swear the only thing anyone noticed was that bread-making quip XD

Hey! Astrid got Twitch in canon for a reason. And of course Hiccup would!

SaiyanPrincess: I think it's safe to say now that Hiccup's used up all his brownie points with his Dad

Jazz: Wow. That must be awkward. How can you have teenage gossip/antics when the Chief is there? X)

Much nice!