Hey guys ! New chapter !

Disclaimers : I don't own the stories of How To Train Your Dragon nor Rise Of The Guardian, all credits go to Cressida Crowell, William Joyce and Dreamworks Animation Studios.

Hope you enjoy !
Love and scales !

Chapter 18
Endgame

The three dragon riders had to take a bit more time before heading back to New Berk. While the fierce warriors of the Bearclaw clan were readying their weapons, armors and war ships, Hiccup, Eret and Fishlegs ventured into the woods of the barbaric islands to seek for the inhabiting dragons. Despite the undoubted strength of a Rumplehorn, a Gronckle and a Night Fury, it was not enough to carry Scarlar's ships.

So the three riders needed a bit more time to find the dragons, reassure them and convince them to help. After all, wild dragons were not used to be harnessed and carry loads. It was only thanks to Toothless' Alpha title that the Changewing hord followed them.

Flying in a perfectly clear sky with a back wind helping them to travel faster, Hiccup looked back to their convoy. Seven ships, roughtly fifty warriors and about thirty Changewings had joined them. Despite the proudness of this gathering, Hiccup also felt ashamed to have forced these dragons. He vowed to release them once the battle was over.

Fishlegs spend a good half of the journey to apologize to his chief and friend for doubting about this mission, and complimenting him for the way he had convinced Scarlar to help. Hiccup had tried to stop him, amused, but Fishlegs had kept on the praises, simply adressing them to Eret, who exchanged a amused look with Hiccup.

Going back was way more easier than leaving New Berk since there was no more storm to slow them down, but it was still long for the homesick hearts of the berkians. Two days of traveling, one night to get some rest on the island they judged most comfortable for their camp, a diner to get to know Scarlar while giving him more details about the enemy they were about to fight against.

Scarlar had heard too about the Slaughterhouse, but he was far from knowing it was only a cover to exile the dragons to an underground world and felt pity for them. Hiccup discovered the soft side of Scarlar was not only adressed to his daughter, but to his own clan and, somehow, to the dragons too. The man, under this image of dreadful hunter and warrior, had his own sensitivity.

Hiccup didn't doubt he would eventually join the alliance and forgive the dragons but, like Eret had told him, it would take some time. Joining the battle alonside dragon riders was surely a good way to help him get close to the winged creatures, starting with the ones carrying his army. The Changewings were all spread around the camp, like sentinels and bodyguards.

Where it was time to sleep, Hiccup wrapped himself under furr covers and closed his eyes, picturing his return to home, and how he would be reunited with Joke. Six days had spent since they had left New Berk, a little less than a week, but it felt like months for Hiccup.

He pictured the slime frame of his husband near the west cliff, waiting for his return. He pictured his bright smile when he would see him, his blue eyes sparkling with joy. He pictured the young man running to take him in his arms while Toothless and Lumiverse would be reunited in the same affection, before the Night Lights would ruin their reunion with their endless energy.

It made him smile as sleep was slowly getting him.

''Soon, babe.'' He whispered to himself. ''I'll be back to you very soon.''

Then the wind blew gently on his face, a light caress which seemed to promise to carry his words to the one they were adressed to.

o*o*o*o*o*o*o

A thick layer of grey clouds followed the convoy in the morning of the sixth day. They were only a few hours left from New Berk, yet the weather was so bad they doubted they could see the island in this fog. When a light rain started to pour from the sky, it irritated the dragons.

Toothless shook his head while grumbling. Hiccup bent forward and tried to wipe his friend's head, but it was helpless since the rain was still wetting him. Another violent headshake detered the viking from helping, but it felt odd. Toothless had never been very found of the rain, but never before did it had made him that grumpy. It seemed to tell something else, and it was proven right when Hiccup spotted Eret struggling with a pretty agitated Skullcrusher.

''Hey, big guy ! What's the matter ? Okay, calm down !''

The dragon growled with a vibrating noise that didn't sound nice, making Toothless grumble even more.

''Chief Hiccup !'' Scarlar called out from the ship being the riders. ''What's wrong ?''

''I don't know, the dragons are irritated !'' He yelled back so he could be heard through the rain.

To make sure, he looked at the Changewings, noticed they also were crabbed. It couldn't be just the rain.

''They must feel something !''

''Hiccup !'' Fishlegs shouted.

The blond viking pointed something in front of them, leading Hiccup's gaze there. He could have guessed a lot of things, including a new storm, but he would have been wrong.

Throught the rain and fog, they managed to spot their fortress-island, closer than expected, but also pretty eventful. Much to their dismay, the countless ships surrounding the island were not from their allies, because said allies were scattered in the sky, attacking said ships.

''Oh no...'' Eret gasped. ''Kosmozis' here !''

Hiccup felt his heart go up in his throat. The battle seemed to have started for a while, he didn't dare to imagine how long. A feeling of dread and emergency filled him, forcing him to speed up so the convoy would quickly join the battle.

The more they were getting closer, the more they could see the chaos going on. The trapper ships were circling a group of different ships which black and golden banner foretold their origin before even seeing the symbol of an Eruptodon. The Defensors of the Wings. The warriors onboard seemed to have a lot of difficulties fighting back, but they could count on a Razorwhip squad to protect them, surely from the Wingmaiden.

Other groups of dragons from all species were attacking as they could, trying to keep their enemies away from the island, and away from a gigantic Shellfire which was making the trapper have a hard time.

Hiccup felt proud to see all their allies work together in such cohesion, helping each other as soon as someone was in danger.

He turned back to Scarlar's ship and yelled so he could be heard.

''Scarlar ! We'll deposit your ships as close as we can ! Help the Defensors of the Wings and protect the Shellfire !''

''Right, chief ! We'll follow you 'til the end of the battle ! May the Gods be with you !''

''No, may the Gods be with us !''

Scarlar smirked and roared the Berclaw war cry, followed by his men from the other ships, brandishing their weapons.

Hiccup spoke to this dragon, who relayed the order to the Changewings. With one roar from the king of dragons, they started to descend to sea level while the three riders went up towards the island.

''What do we do, chief ?'' Eret asked, concern in his voice.

''The trappers can't reach our island, but Kosmozis can with his dragons ! We have to locate him and make sure he can't get to Joke !''

''Watch out !'' Fishlegs screamed.

The Gronckle sped up and bumped into he Night Fury, hard enough to push him away and avoid a net Hiccup had not seen coming.

''Thanks, Fishlegs !''

The stut blond viking nodded in reply, then they moved back to their formation and reached the village. No damaged had been done, they were too much high and far from the edge to be reachable, but panick was there. Hiccup barely had the time to dismount Toothless before a group of dragons joined them, he recognized the dragon riders.

''Hiccup !'' Elska shouted.

The young chief ran to her but got distanced by Eret, rushing to hug Astrid.

''We came back as soon as we could.'' The built viking said to his girlfriend.

She didn't replied but hugged him back, she seemed so relieved.

''When did they arrive ?'' Hiccup asked his mother-in-law just after breaking their own hug.

Elska let go of him and forgot her relief to get back to the situation at hand.

''Less than an hour ago.'' Her voice was distorted by the helmet she still had on, like the other riders. ''They used the fog to hide from our scouts.''

''Has someone seen Kosmozis ? And where is Joke ?!''

''We sent him to safety.'' Astrid assured. ''He's with Lumiverse and the Night Lights, they must have gone to Crescent cove.''

That's how they had name the cove the Fury family had settled in.

''Aww, is he ?'' A voice exclaimed from above them.

They all started and looked up to see some strange cross-shaped structure in the blind light of the sun piercing the clouds, carried by four black and red dragons, and escorted by two others.

Kosmozis was there, just above their head. If it hasn't been for his voice echoing in the sky and the characteristic shape of his flying platform, the riders would have had troubles to recognize him since he was pretty far from them. He was snickering with content, leaning on the big arbalet attached to the platform. Something seemed different about the structure, and it didn't took long for Hiccup to notice what.

There was two nets hanging from it, like traps, and they weren't empty. In the left one were a white dragon, tied up and muzzled, hanging lifelessly as if unconscious. In the other one was a much smaller frame, as light and as motionless.

Hiccup froze on spot and swore his heart had stopped beating : it was Lumiverse and Joke. They were both at Kosmozis' mercy !

''NO !'' He screamed.

The general laughed at it and whistled to his dragons for them to leave. Without thinking, even if he had no chance to catch up with them, Hiccup ran after them.

He ran to the extend he could have make his lungs explode, followed closely by Toothless and other voices that sounded panicked. When Kosmozis' flying structure went upward, dragging the two prisoners, Toothless tried to shoot a plasma blast at it, but the chains stood.

''Our little game comes to an end. Thank you for giving me my prince along with the Alpha's mate, will be pretty useful.''

At least, Kosmozis had expected he had win, but it was not counting on the dragons.

Toothless took off, calling out all the dragons for attack. They got out of the woods and the battlefield, leaving their fight to answer their king's call, and all headed to the flying structure, but Kosmozis had not said his last word either. In the nests, Lumiverse woke up dizzily and instantly struggled, she particularly hated this muzzle the general had put on her head, which unabled her to even open her mouth.

Kosmozis pointed his arbalet to her.

''Call them off, Alpha ! No reason for her to die too.''

Toothless froze as he saw this, and gave the order without hesitation. The dragons stopped, keeping steady. Hiccup remained on spot too, frozen in fright, looking up at the structure out of his reach. He felt like he couldn't move anymore, each breath in and out was tearing off his throat and lungs. Each heart beat was making his chest tremble with pain.

Kosmozis had Joke. He had Joke and their child… He was going to kill them, and he couldn't do anything to stop him. He had promised to protect his family, and he had failed. He was powerless, helpless, useless, just like when his father had been killed. He couldn't do anything.

He barely noticed the commotion around him. He was joined by his friends, but all dragons were in the sky. Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Elska, Eret, Gobber and the twins were now behind him.

''What are they doing ? They can totally take him !'' Snotlout grunted.

''Not with Lumiverse's life on the line.'' Hiccup managed to say.

But still, Toothless wasn't going to give up. He turned to the Deathgrippers flying around the prisoners. He roared at them, but none of them reacted to the call of the Alpha.

''Save your breath ! The only Alpha they respond to is me !'' Kosmozis snarled.

Toothless understood it was vain, and he was out of ideas, so he glanced at Hiccup with a pleading look. Surely his best friend had an idea to save their family ?

''Oh, don't feel too badly, you tried your best but you are nothing without the dragons !'' Kosmozis laughed at the young chief.

He whistled to the Deathgrippers, the four carrying the platform started to fly away while the other two kept the dragons in place.

However, once Toothless started to follow them, all the other dragons did too, leaving with their Alpha. Kosmozis smiled at it, he had the perfect bait for the Night Fury. He had not really intended to get the dragons from Berk, all he was focused on was killing Storm prince. He wasn't expecting on capturing the Alpha's queen, so he congratulated himself for this good work.

He was even more satisfied to notice that the dragons from all the allied clan were following the Alpha, following him.

So he led all of them above the ocean, towards the fleet. The only advantage of the situation was the fact the battle had stopped, the ships from the Denfensors of the Wing were no long targeted while those from the Bearclaw had been dropped too far because of Toothless' call. They were trying to get closer as fast as possible.

On the island, the Hairy Hooligans, the Bersekers, the Meatheads and the Wingmaiden, all abandoned by their dragons, watched powerlessly as their winged friends were going farther away from them, getting themselves in the lion's den. Most of the warriors were down below, trapped on enemies' ships or trying to swim to allies as they had fallen into the ocean.

Hiccup ran to the edge of the cliff to desperately scream his dears' names, leaving the rest of the group a few steps behind.

''Oh, that is just… great !'' Tuffnut said with sarcasm. ''Now what ?''

Snotlout puffed out his chest and pushed Eret aside.

''Guess it's time for number 2 to become number 1.''

Astrid frowned and threaten him with her fist, making him start and back, then she stopped as Elska put a hand on her shoulder.

''He'll listen to you.'' She assured, gesturing to Hiccup.

Astrid, despite the worry and the pain in her heart, nodded and walked to the young chief. She knew all too well how he felt, because they had already talked about it, she may was the only one to really know what was going on inside his head.

Hiccup was pacing back and forth with irritation and distress, at the edge of the cliff, he didn't even stopped when he saw her. She didn't have the time to open her mouth as he cut her with a pretty annoyed voice.

''How did that happen ?! You guys left Joke alone, nobody thought about escorting him to make sure he was really safe ?!''

Even if she could understand his anger, she didn't like his accusations and frowned.

''Of course he was escorted ! Fungus, Rasok, Mulch and Bucket were with him ! You don't have the right to blame us like this, you weren't there and-''

''That's the problem, Astrid ! I wasn't there...''

Astrid let go of her own anger as she saw tears in his eyes, she felt her heart shatter.

''We should have never leave, we shouldn't have split up ! We should have seen them coming !'' Hiccup growled.

''And we wouldn't have been able to fight back. Hiccup, we have federated five clans more than our to fight-''

''And now four of them are stuck in this island while the other two will be killed down there without any of us could do anything about it !''

Hiccup was very angry, he failed to hold back an infuriated shout, barely muffled by his gritted teeth.

''I feel just as useless as I was the first time we fought Kosmozis ! I feel like the same screw-up I was before I met Toothless.''

''I can see that.''

''Is that all you have to say ?!'' He snapped.

He got so angry because he had hoped she could give him some comfort or self-confidence.

''Well, you're right, you're back to where you started, but let me remind you Joke had always believed in you. Back then, too.''

He pinched his lips and kept his eyebrows furowed, refusing to look at her, but at least he had stopped pacing.

''I didn't know back then, but he made me realise you've been doubting whether you're worthy ever since. You know what ? I am the person I am today because of you. I never told you that, but it's true, and I'm not the only one to owe you that, Hiccup. We all are.''

She gestured to the others down below, adding the other clans to what she was saying.

''If our clans have this way of life today, it's thanks to you, not Toothless. You are the bravest, most stubborn, most determined… knucklehead I know. And you have always been, with or without Toothless.''

He hesitated for a second, then turned his head to his friend. He seemed calmer, but Astrid wasn't finished yet.

''And I know that's what Joke loves in you.''

Hearing this name, Hiccup's heart shattered again.

''Toothless didn't give you that, Hiccup, he just made it easier. Now, it's gonna be a lot harder, that's all, but you're still as capable as before.''

Hiccup straightened up and looked at the horizon, filled with a whole new determination which made his friend relieved.

''So, what are you gonna do about it ?'' She asked with a hint of nostalgia.

''Probably something stupid.'' He smiled at the hint.

''That's the Hiccup I know.'' She smiled with proud. ''Now get back my little brother before I beat the shit out of you.''

She punched his arm, making him smile faintly, then both turned back to the rest of the group.

''Suit up, gang !'' Hiccup told them. ''We're going to get them back !''

If Elska smiled softly at him, the others remained hesitant.

''What ?'' Fishlegs whispered.

''He's lost his mind.'' Ruffnut eye rolled.

Tuffnut beamed at it and hugged him without a warning.

''Now that's daddy material ! At last, faithful pupil, you are ready !''

The fake-beard man let go and shook his shoulders in encouragments, Hiccup pinched his lips and shook his hand to please him (and in hopes to get rid of him).

''Huh… How are we gonna get our dragons back without… dragons ?'' Fishlegs enquired, worried.

''Trust me.'' Hiccup simply rejoined.