The Weight of Betrayal (Dance of Power Trilogy: Book 2)

by TriumphantFury

Berk has changed for the better, but now our favourite couple must embark on a new adventure in the realms of the gods. Where power is a twisted dance and trust is rare. Now Astrid must find her niche in this strange new world alongside a man she loves, but barely knows. Secrets will be revealed and relationships will be tested as a whole new host of enemies emerge over the horizon

18. What Lies Beneath

Ooooh boy, this is a big one. As it should be because it is exciting as all heck. You guys waited so long for it, I wanted this to be the full meal deal of emotional rides. So, enjoy and stay healthy everyone :)

SL99: You were absolutely right about Odin, and I guess it's good that Astrid is a clever one too. I'm sure she'll find some way to make this truce work out for both of them. Now, let's see if you were right about this chapter too :P By the way, I think the elves would actually like the name 'sky-walkers' too. Lol

CB73: This one really is nasty. You're right. Astrid would probably have already fainted or barfed a few times by now, and they haven't even gotten into the worst of it yet. Not ideal as a first foray into battle for anyone. Fast learner or not. It was really nice to see her measured up against someone that is more typical of what she would be facing in the field. Though Amee is not an overly skilled warrior, she does have impressive magic of her own. I'm sure it was a good confidence boost for Astrid after being surrounded by ridiculously powerful elves all the time. Although, training against only the best tends to make you the best that you can be. No wonder she finds herself having some 'stirrings' for both boys. Lol

Now Account: Thanks! I was definitely giggling as I pictured them walking down the streets trying to avoid stumbling over the 'rude children with beards' too. I love how similar Hiccup and Ilweran are in so many ways, and that Teen Wolf quote sums it up perfectly. By the time you see them, you should already know that you are dead. Good thing it looks like Astrid is going to be a force to be reckoned with as well. Especially now that she is not limiting herself so much and has had the confidence boost of besting someone in this world with relative ease. Poor Amee, she just can't win. I feel somewhat bad for her, but I still don't love her. Lol. And of course I gave her a thorough back story as well ;) I'm glad you noticed that it was somewhat similar to Astrid's, as I doubt Astrid would have accepted a truce from a spoiled rotten rich bitch that was trying to steal her man. Lol

Guest: Astrid will get to know the 'true Hiccup' in this book, and not too far down the road either. Also, yes, the last part of the trilogy will be a new arc of the story.

DespicableG: Thank goodness Thor takes after his Uncle Ve. We will get to spend some more time with Thor in the near-ish future, and I have to admit, he fits in perfectly with this lot. Lol. I love your take on the Amee/Astrid truce. Amee's story really is a little shocking and it is supposed to make you pause for a moment, but you are absolutely right about her. I still feel like she is a hoe-bag too.

The reference to Skyrim was incredibly accurate. I hadn't even thought about that when I was writing it, but I realized it after when I googled the game again once I read your comment. So, thanks for that :P I love 'Lil Shits' so much, and it fits perfectly! It's certainly what I would call them! Hopefully you don't mind my choice of name(s) for them. Lol. Now for more Hiccup and Ilweran antics as they run through the tunnels. Maybe they will meet a terrible terror sized hybrid and train it... ;) PS: I did see the review :P

Surfy: I'm seriously impressed you caught that about Astrid's tells. I honestly wasn't sure that anyone would tbh. At least Astrid doesn't completely trust Amee either, cuz I know that I wouldn't. Although, Amee is smart too. Maybe even smart enough to know that the Dark and Light Riders are more dangerous than Odin Allfather... Or maybe Astrid will get to kill her later. Either way it's a win for Astrid. Lol

Guest:1234: Astrid knows that Hiccup has been with other women before, but the secrets he's keeping are not really that he is not a virgin... it's a little more in depth than that, and she would probably be much more horrified to hear them than she was when she learned about Cuithanna and a few temple priestesses (that she didn't actually learn any details about) *insert cringe here* He has good reason to be nervous about telling her, since she didn't react overly well last time...

Agentwalkoff: I know, right! She did scare the living shit out of her, and I don't think Amee is going to try and sneak up on Astrid again any time soon :P

_

Hiccup and Ilweran crept their way down the dark tunnel. On high alert, and heads on a swivel as they held their swords at the ready. Keen ears listening for any slight rustle of wing or scrape of claw. Muscles relaxed, but ready to spring into action the moment something showed its hideous face. There was absolutely no way of knowing what was waiting for them down this passage. The sooner they dealt with it though, the sooner they could return to the upper level and assist Meririk. His soldiers were vastly outnumbered by Volgar's guard. Though they were certainly excellent fighters, there was only so long they could hold their own against so many.

The Riders came to an intersection of tunnels then where this one split into three. The vile odour seemed to be radiating from the one on the left. Reading each other like seasoned battle brothers, they both turned towards the smell. Inching forwards slowly, and peering through the shadows. Suddenly there was the sound of ragged breathing ahead of them. Echoing quietly though the otherwise silent space.

Glancing around and finding nothing, Hiccup and Ilweran looked at each other before heading towards the sound. At the end of the tunnel, the passageway suddenly widened out into a decently sized cavern. The putrid stench was almost overpowering, as strange shapes loomed in the darkness. Hiccup conjured up a ball of light then. Projecting it into the centre of the cavern, and instantly wishing that he hadn't.

Now they knew where the smell had been coming from. All around this large 'room' were cages of dragons. Deathgrippers, grim gnashers, singetails, and even a bright yellow and black hornettle or two, along with others that were not so easy to identify anymore. Some of the beasts were already dead. The flesh rotting off their bones and some of their limbs missing, leaving only unrecognizable masses in their place.

The other dragons were still alive, but barely. Their eyes clouded with cataracts, teeth ripped from jaws muzzled shut, and their scales flaking and faded. Scars of past injuries crisscrossing their skin in a horrific tapestry. All of them had their wings chopped off along with many of their tails, and the wounds had clearly been cauterized. Likely while the beasts were awake enough to feel the pain. Probably done to make them easier to handle.

Chunks had been torn out of the rotting dragons' hides. As if something down here had been feasting on the carrion. If elves could vomit, Hiccup would have. This was absolutely disgusting. He could feel rage rising up inside of him now. Draconic fury starting to tinge the edges of his vision red. Who treated living animals this way?! Even if these dragons were monstrous and violent, no creature deserved to die like this!

There was an oppressive feeling of chilling darkness in here that stemmed from more than just the atmosphere of hopelessness. So much so that it was even uncomfortable for Hiccup. He could only imagine what Ilweran was experiencing. Some of the cages actually stood open, while only small fragments of past creatures remained on the floor near them amidst rusty brown blood stains. Dragon-proof steel doors torn clean off the hinges as they hung uselessly from their chained latches instead, and he shuddered to think what could have done that.

There were pieces of parchment covered with dwarvish runes, broken quills, and shattered ink jars scattered everywhere. As if Volgar's men had left in quite a hurry. Leaning down, Hiccup read part of one of the pages nearest him. What he saw made him want to hurl all over again. "They were experimenting with them," he said in disgust. "Breeding multiples together to see is they could find a combination that would survive. It says here that they might have discovered some sort of binding essence, but it does not say what that was."

Standing and meeting Ilweran's eyes as they both sheathed their swords, he saw the same fury and disgust that he felt mirrored there. Then his highly sensitive hearing picked up a scraping from outside the dead-end cavern they were in. "We should put them out of their misery," Ilweran was saying quietly as he gazed around at the poor beasts. The half-elf visibly shivering at the touch of the evil presence seeping through the air around them.

"I agree, but I doubt that we are going to have time for that right now," Hiccup answered casually. Selecting two shining silver throwing axes from loops on his belt, so as to give himself the advantage of maintaining distance from this unknown threat. When Ilweran glanced at him with one brow arched in confusion, Hiccup shrugged his shoulders. Spinning the axes in his hands once as he gave Ilweran a lopsided smirk. "Something is coming down the tunnel outside, and we do not really have a way out other than right past it. Also, it has claws, so we can scratch the magic based escape idea."

"Fuck," was all Ilweran said. Calling up his own orb of golden light and directing it towards the entrance as he grabbed a set of ornate hatchets off his weapons belt as well. Both of them moving to the opening and peering down the now illuminated tunnel outside. They could both hear something large moving down the passage towards them. Strange squelching and clicking noises echoing through the cavern now. Before Hiccup could even wonder what was making the sound, a dark shape emerged into the light as it filled the entire space from floor to ceiling, and it was the single most hideous dragon that Hiccup could ever remember seeing.

It looked to be a cross between a cavern crasher and a deathgripper. Its large and squat body slung low to the ground. Wide and flat as a cavern crasher, but with the twisted and scythe-like front pincers of a death gripper. Elongated jaws protruding out of a strangely squashed head, and long lower tusks dripping a thick mixture of saliva and venom. Where a deathgripper's wings and armour plated spines would have been, there were only weeping pustules covering its back instead. Its long, scorpion-like tail curled over top and brushing the tunnel roof. The end of it tipped in a strangely pulsing bulb complete with a fat stinger.

The fact that it did not shy away from the bright golden light was worrisome. Making Hiccup strongly suspect that this hybrid beast, though terrible already, was not all that it appeared to be. There went any hope of simply scaring it off. "Can I just be the first to say it," Ilweran intoned drily. "Eww..."

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up," Hiccup grimaced in return as the dragon snapped its oddly mismatched jaws at them. Looking back and forth between the two men like it was deciding which one to eat first. Hiccup reached out with his mind, but all he found was thoughts of murder tinged with that same chilling darkness. Guess it wasn't going to be reasoned with either... "Why would anyone want to make a dragon that could bite, sting, ooze, slice, and spray venom," he added then. "All at the same time even?"

"Sounds like the sort of friendly household pet you get for the kids," Ilweran laughed. Shaking his head with a laugh of his own, Hiccup stepped forward to call the dragon's attention to him. In a blinding flash, the dragon brought its stinger arcing towards Hiccup. At the same time, Ilweran threw one of his axes to chop off the end of the tail while the dragon was distracted by Hiccup. In an unnatural display of speed and cunning, the dragon swung its tail around to knock the hatchet out of the air instead. Even as it spewed a stream of sickly green poison at Hiccup now.

With a curse, Hiccup rolled out of the way. The venom hitting the cave floor where he had been standing barely a moment ago. Coating Ilweran's thrown axe and proceeding to bubble and hiss as it started to eat through both the metal and the solid rock. "Oh good," Hiccup drawled as he dived out of the way of another stream. "It has acid venom." Ilweran laughed as he made towards the dragon. It turned its attention to him, intent on striking him down with its tail. At the last minute he turned and ran up the wall instead. Bringing his other axe around to cut the tail off as Hiccup lunged at the dragon's other side.

Before the axe could touch it, the tail unwound as it divided into three. The strange bulb opening up like a flower bud to reveal not one, but three, foot-long spears concealed within. Two dagger-tips striking out at Hiccup and one at Ilweran. Using the hatchet to knock it aside now, Ilweran leapt off the wall to land behind the dragon instead. Hiccup dodging the first tail and bringing his own remaining hatchet around at night fury speed to slice through the barbed end of the other that was aiming straight for his face.

The thing screamed and flailed as the useless stinger swung from a strip of sinewy skin for a moment before flopping to the ground with a sickening splat. Poison beginning to weep out and sizzle on the floor. Enraged now, it struck out at Hiccup with one of its bladed front pincers as it spewed more venom at him. Not even bothering to strike back, Hiccup simply flipped over its squat body. "I guess it is safe to assume that it is also part triple strike," he said mildly as he landed beside Ilweran. That explained why it wasn't afraid of the light.

Ilweran nodded as they started backing away from the thing. Quickening their pace to a run as it swung around to face them again. Somehow, it kept up with them. Plucking two of the zippleback bombs from his leg holster now, Ilweran pulled the pins with his teeth before chucking the live devices slightly ahead of them. The two men bolted past the black canisters and dived down one of the other two tunnels. Taking cover just as the bombs went off.

Rubble cascaded down behind them as a cloud of choking dust encased everything. Closing off the dead-end tunnel and trapping the monster within it. The two men got to their feet and glanced back at the wall of rock, about to congratulate themselves. Just then, there was a strange gargling and clicking from behind the blockade. The compressed body of the large monster almost seeming to ooze through the minuscule spaces between boulders.

"Cavern crashers..." Ilweran spat furiously. Then he flipped out of the way again as another stinger came flying towards him. Hiccup shouting as he dodged the second tail. The confined tunnel was really hampering their agility and Hiccup felt the sharp barb graze his bicep. Slicing through the sleeve of his cloak and part of his armour. Leaving a searing pain in its wake. Hissing through his teeth, he dived out of the way again as the dragon continued to strike out at him and Ilweran with tail and scythe-like pincers. Both of them barely blocking the blows in this narrow space.

Hiccup's bicep was starting to burn and his arm was going numb. He could feel the poison seeping unusually quickly through his blood stream now as his own healing magic desperately raced it towards his heart. The resulting pain nearly making him double over as his chest cramped up, but this was no time for displays of weakness. "The spines can cut through our armour," he informed Ilweran with a grimace as the fiery heat scorched through his veins.

"Fucking great! Have I mentioned that I hate this realm," Ilweran grumbled sarcastically as he managed to slice through one of the other barbs before it could strike him in the thigh. Leaving the beast with only one stinger now. Some of the poison leaking out of the sack and coating the blade Ilweran held. There was a sizzling sound and the acrid scent of burning metal, and Ilweran dropped the hatchet with a hoarse shout as the poison began to melt the enchanted elven steel away.

"Son of a bitch! I loved those hatchets," Ilweran growled furiously. His eyes glowing strangely as his reactive elemental magic rose to the surface with his anger. His hands and lower arms became encased in the rolling gloves of his uniquely liquid fire, and he ran at the beast with an enraged yell as a wall of dripping fire sprang up behind it. The beast made a strange hissing sound as it felt the immense heat and tried to run, but Hiccup blocked its path with a wave of his hand and a well placed shield spell. In barely a blink, Ilweran had flipped over the last tail as it lashed out at him. Grabbing the dagger end as it passed by.

The smell of roasting flesh assaulted Hiccup's sensitive nose as Ilweran ripped the stinger right off of the beast before landing in a crouch on its head and jamming its own foot long barb right through its skull. The beast screamed and writhed. Shuddering violently as the poison from the sack flowed into its brain. Then it suddenly began to collapse in on itself until it simply disappeared. Leaving Ilweran crouched on the stone floor.

The wall of melting fire disappeared with Ilweran's anger and everything went eerily silent and cold again. Looking around in confusion for a moment, Ilweran stood up and brushed his hands off. "That was easier than expected..." he said quietly. His tone distinctly on edge. "Where did the body go?"

"To Helheim with it hopefully," Hiccup shrugged. "Has anyone ever told you how sexy you are when you get angry, by the way? Good thing it does not happen very often or I would never be able to keep my hands off of you, my sweet little Fire Goddess," he added with a teasing wink. Still trying to shake the feeling back into his numb arm. After all, Ilweran's attack on the beast had happened in barely the time it takes to draw a breath.

"Well, I really am quite a bit hotter than you, my frigid little Ice Princess. Feel free to ogle, but keep your hands to yourself for now please. The battlefield is no place for romantic distractions," Ilweran shot back. Both of them laughing as Hiccup flipped his middle finger at his friend. Ilweran making a rude gesture of his own in return. Then, with that same strange sucking and clicking sound, a shape began to reform down the tunnel they had originally entered through. The monster dragon was back, and it had all its barbs again.

"Son of a bitch, it's semi-corporeal," Hiccup swore inelegantly. "That thing is definitely not all dragon!"

"I guess we know what the bonding agent was then," Ilweran groaned.

"Yep. Demon essence," Hiccup finished with a sigh. At least his healing magic had finally won the internal battle and he could feel his arm again. They also weren't dead yet, so that was a win.

"Excellent," Ilweran drawled then. "For a minute there I was worried that I might have actually killed it." Hiccup chuckled at that as he flexed his stiff fingers. The monster glared at them before letting out a low growl. The oozing pustules on its back beginning to quiver and shake. Globs of goo dropped to the floor with grotesque splatting sounds as small black bead-like things inside of them began to roll out of the slime.

Eyeing them warily as he backed away, Hiccup grabbed for a dwarven style dagger and a couple of borrowed throwing knives. Not really willing to risk his swords now that they knew the poison could melt through enchanted elven steel like it was yak butter. Ilweran selecting a handful of methril blades as well. They watched in horror as the rolling pebble things began to morph and swell into smaller copies of the original monstrosity.

"Look, it can make little freak babies pop out of its back too. This just keeps getting better," Hiccup said drily as he and Ilweran backed up towards each other. New blades held at the ready.

"Uh-huh," Ilweran muttered in disgust. A horrified grimace twisting his lips. "Any ideas, dragon-boy?"

"Yep," Hiccup answered as the smaller hybrids started crawling towards them on those weirdly splayed legs. "Run." With that they turned tail and booked it down one of the two remaining tunnels. Letting knives fly behind them to take out any of the smaller copies that got too close, but knowing full well that they couldn't fight them all in the cramped space. Hopefully this route led somewhere that they would have more room to maneuver, and not back out to where Meririk's men were.

Unfortunately, luck was not on their side. This tunnel dead-ended at a sheer cliff instead. They noticed the drop-off and skidded to a stop just in time. Ilweran reaching out to grab Hiccup by the cloak and hauling Hiccup back from the edge with him as part of it suddenly crumbled beneath their feet. "Thanks bro," Hiccup sighed in relief as the two men peered into the seemingly bottomless pit gaping below them. This was bad. Really bad. They could hear the creatures scurrying up the passage behind them and they were trapped. Outnumbered and vastly outmatched. Hiccup could feel Toothless' anger through the bond and it seemed to almost seep through his own veins as well.

With an enraged snarl Hiccup stepped out in front of Ilweran now. Facing down the pack of hybrids as he felt his draconic instincts rising up to consume him. The night fury within that refused to lose a fight to lesser beasts, and he didn't even bother using the darkness to reign it in this time. As the edges of his vision swirled with the familiar reddish haze, he felt a sudden longing to rip these creatures apart with his teeth. At the same instant, a sharp ache cut through his jaw. Without warning, his already exaggerated canines suddenly snapped out into full fledged fangs. The sharp points piercing his lip as the coppery tang of blood filled his mouth.

He could feel a feral growl rumble through his chest, and he knew that his eyes would now be over-bright with menacingly slit pupils. He heard Ilweran suck in a sharp breath at the sight, but he ignored it. Ilweran already knew that he was part night fury. He just hadn't seen that in action until this moment. Although, to be fair, Hiccup didn't know that he had extendable fangs until this moment either.

As the dragons came crawling down the passage towards them, some of the creatures took to the walls like spiders. This was it. They were toast. Hiccup thought of Astrid, alone and waiting for them back in Alfheim. He couldn't leave her now that he finally had her back. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Ilweran's jaw set in determination as he held his blades up. Ready to die fighting. Hiccup refused to leave his brother either. They had been through too much shit together for some nightmare dragons to bring them down!

There was a strange current rushing beneath Hiccup's skin. A curious tingling that made his hairs stand on end as his scalp prickled painfully. Little shocks of lightning arcing through him, and he suddenly knew what to do. It may not kill the creatures, but it would certainly buy them some time. Turning back to glance at Ilweran again, he saw that the prince was rubbing at his own tingling neck in confusion. Then he looked towards Hiccup and his eyes widened almost comically.

"You may want to shield yourself," Hiccup said calmly. "When I take them down, we run. Once we get to the end of the tunnel, use Menelmacil to trap them in here until we can think of something." Ilweran nodded before hunching down and casting a golden dome around himself. Satisfied that his friend would be safe, Hiccup walked forwards to meet the beasts. Blue-purple and green energy beginning to crackle and dance over his skin.

The beasts paused slightly as they sensed the alpha predator stalking towards them now. Clearly sensing the danger as the pops and fizzes echoed through the dank space. With any other dragon, it would have ended here. Sensing a losing fight, the other dragons would have fled. These creatures were too twisted and crazed for reason though, and after that moment of hesitation, they launched themselves at Hiccup. With one last breath, Hiccup released his hold on the new power.

Flashes of lightning filled the cave. Lighting it up like daylight as they arced around the cavern from the man in the middle. Striking the beasts down where they stood. There was the pungent smell of ozone in the air, along with the scent of burning flesh. The creatures were dropping like flies as the bolts cut through them. Leaving them twitching and stunned on the ground. Some of them no longer moving at all as they collapsed back into the little beads and returned to the host.

As the large 'parent' dragon came into view, Hiccup brought his hands together and directed a massive bolt of pure energy straight at the thing. Its whole body seized up for a moment under the onslaught, before it collapsed on the floor and rolled over to its back. Legs curled in just like a spider. Shaking and spasming as the remaining copies seemed to drop right along with it, though they had not been struck.

Allowing the lightning to return to him, Hiccup glanced around briefly at the beasts on the ground. Feeling slightly drained for the first time in a long time. Then he looked to Ilweran. Seeing the elf unharmed and already back on his feet now. The two of them shared a loaded glance that clearly said, 'we'll talk about this later' before they wove their way through the bodies on the floor and took off back down the tunnel. Some of the monsters already beginning to stir as the 'parent' beast began to fold in on itself again.

Reaching the end of the tunnel, Ilweran took out Menelmacil. "Thangail," he muttered before driving the blade into the stone floor. With a ringing like a bell, a solid barrier of golden light spread out from the sword to fill the entire opening. Waving and dancing like water as it creeped out into the rock and down the passage to block the cracks and crevices around the tunnel as well. "Okay, now what," Ilweran asked as he backed away from the completely impenetrable wall of magic. Ilweran really did have quite a gift with abjuration... "We cannot just stay down here forever, and we cannot leave my sword behind. Maybe we can just trap them down here with an ice wall or another strong ward until they starve to death..."

"Nah, they would just melt through it with their acid. Or chip it away with their multiple toxic daggers. Or ooze themselves through the cracks in the walls, or conjure some other miraculous way out since it is obviously part shadow spirit," Hiccup muttered. Looking around for inspiration of any sort and coming up empty. "I think it only stayed in the tunnel system before because it had something to eat trapped with it. Eventually it would have broken out when it ran out of food..."

Ilweran shuddered at that as Hiccup growled angrily again. "Could you imagine this thing roaming free through the mines? The people would not stand a chance! What sort of ankle-biting dwarvish asshole actually breeds something like this?! Gods, I really hate this infernal realm," Hiccup cursed in frustration.

"Ha! Looks like it is not just my royal elven snob that is showing," Ilweran chuckled. Then his face grew serious again. "Whether we like this place or not we still need a plan, and fast, or else Meririk and his men will be dead and Volgar will escape to make more of these. Or he will tell someone else how to." He gestured vaguely towards the golden barrier, indicating the beast behind it.

"I know! I know! I am working on it," Hiccup grumbled past his elongated fangs. Pushing his hood back and running his hands distractedly through his already messy hair. Raining rock dust down onto his shoulders.

"Those are super creepy by the way," Ilweran pointed out blandly as he gazed at Hiccup's elongated fangs. "It kind of makes me feel like you are about to tear my throat out and eat my innards."

"Sorry," Hiccup muttered again. Thinking about how terrifying he had found it when Toothless had first snapped out his retractable teeth before snatching that fish out of his hands. Maybe his teeth were retractable too?.. It was worth a shot, at least. Trying awkwardly to flex the muscles in his cheeks, Hiccup was only mildly surprised to find that the fangs drew themselves back into his jaw. The unfamiliar feeling of them sliding against the sensitive tissue actually making him shiver and gag for a second. There was no way he was going to be doing THAT again very soon. "Better," he asked then as he grinned at Ilweran.

"Maybe..." Ilweran offered with an awkward grimace. "Have you always been able to conjure lightning," he asked casually. Eying Hiccup warily with those surreal amber orbs.

"Nope. First time," Hiccup answered truthfully. "I actually do not even think Toothless knows that he can do that." He received an affirmative from his blood brother and shrugged at Ilweran again. "Nope, he did not know either. Although night furies are apparently the offspring of 'lightning' and death, so I guess I should not really be surprised..." Then both of them flinched instinctively as the first of the beasts hit the magical barrier at full tilt. Bouncing off of it and squealing in pained outrage before launching themselves at it again and again as the teardrop citrine in the sword's hilt flared brightly.

"That will not hold forever," Ilweran said quietly. "So what now? Can you do the lightning thing again?"

"I probably can, but I do not think it is going to help," Hiccup supplied with a sigh. "I mean, I am pretty sure that a couple more of the little ones died, but I sent a pure bolt straight at the big one and it is clearly still alive," he added. Pointing to the barrier where the monster dragon had just come charging against it. "Though it did take it some time to reform again, so maybe we are tiring it out?.."

"Good. Only twenty more times each and then we might have a chance," Ilweran stated blandly. Sarcasm dripping from every syllable.

"I do not think I have twenty more lightning blasts in me, but I do think we need to kill that one," Hiccup mumbled slowly. Ignoring Ilweran's sarcasm as an idea started to form in his mind. "When I struck that one, the rest fell with it. I think they are tied to it like parasites. If you kill the parent, the offspring die as well..."

"Yeah, but the parent is semi-corporeal," Ilweran reminded him with an eye roll. "We have to find a way to kill it while keeping it from blinking out of existence and then reforming before it can actually die. All while not getting eaten, gored, stung, sprayed, stabbed, or sliced by it or its gross back-skin ooze babies."

"What we need is some sort of ridiculously destructive fatal attack. Something so big that there will be nothing left of it to reform..." Hiccup said slowly. Rubbing at his chin thoughtfully.

"What do we have that will have that effect on a dragon like this," Ilweran started. "A blade strike is not going to be enough, and our most powerful magic apparently only stalls it. It will have to be something really big and really crazy..." Trailing off, he watched a wide grin suddenly split Hiccup's face. Then he followed the line of Hiccup's eyes to the holster with the remaining zippleback canisters in it still strapped to Ilweran's thigh.

"How much do you trust me," Hiccup asked then.

Ilweran raised an eyebrow at him as he crossed his arms. "I am not going to like this am I," he stated simply. Then, sighing heavily, he unstrapped the thigh holster and held it out to Hiccup. With a smirk, Hiccup took it before removing his own holster as well. Taking the silver garrotting wire from his belt and muttering a quick spell to lengthen it, he then strung it very carefully through all of the pins on the canisters. Tying a quick finger loop into the end of the long trailing line.

"Probably not no," Hiccup offered with a shrug as he held up the string of connected bombs that now formed one massive one. "I need you to serve as the bait and the distraction. Two things that you already excel at, you handsome devil you." When Ilweran snorted at that, Hiccup smirked at him. "When you drop the barrier, I need you to distract it. Keep its attention on you. I would cast an illusion instead, but, you know, that really doesn't work very well on dragons... Anyways, I need you to get it to open its mouth."

"It prefers to fight with its tail and it front pincers," Ilweran pointed out. "It only opens its mouth to spit acid. Or to eat things, I suppose..."

"Yep," Hiccup grinned at him. "And I need it to not be spraying acid preferably, so it is the latter option we are aiming for Moon Pie. I bet it has worked up quite an appetite after having to reform twice. Unfortunately, it cannot be able to see me, or it will not let its guard down enough to try and eat its hard earned meal of tasty tasty elf flesh instead of just killing it and coming back for it later."

"Ugg... I hate you. What exactly are you going to do while I am playing the carrot on the stick," Ilweran asked with another eye roll.

"Its poison is super fast acting and does not really leave time for a healing spell. Since I heal much quicker than you, I am going to be planting our bombs," Hiccup replied simply. Taking one of his knives from his belt and muttering a quick spell over it, he then used it to scratch some quick runes into the canisters. Hoping desperately that it would work. Too bad he hadn't thought to bring an athame with him, but he never imagined that he would need one. "When I give the word, we run as far away from it as we can before it goes boom."

"Sounds easy enough," Ilweran chuckled. Then he moved to grasp the hilt of Menelmacil as Hiccup pressed himself into the side of the tunnel. Trusting in the darkness to conceal him enough that Ilweran wouldn't notice that Hiccup's body was now as partially solid as the dragon they were fighting. Ilweran met the glow of his eyes through the darkness, and Hiccup nodded once.

With a last deep breath, Ilweran pulled the sword out of the ground. The light barrier disappearing in a flash of gold. Just as Hiccup had expected, the creatures charged forward. Seeing Ilweran standing alone in the centre of the tunnel, they all made a beeline for him. Not even bothering to wonder where the other man had gone. The blonde prince spun and darted out of the way of the smaller dragons. Barely a blur as he dodged their tails and venom. Slashing Menelmacil through many of them, and launching more dwarven blades at others. Hiccup watching as they dropped to the ground dead before shrinking back to the black beads and returning to the parent beast, just like with the lightning attack.

As the largest of the dragons drew closer to Ilweran, Hiccup inched his way along the shadows with it. Staying concealed within the darkness as he tried to help Ilweran as best he could without drawing attention to himself. Launching knives at the smaller hybrids and using the darkness to shield his magic as he summoned them back. Still, there were so many of them. It felt like for every one they killed, two little beads would drop to the floor to create more spawn as the demon-dragon stalked forward. Still oozing out of its back.

Reaching Ilweran, the beast struck out with its tails and Ilweran knocked them aside. Careful not to rupture the poison sacks in case it got on Menelmacil. The dragon screamed in rage and swung its blade-like claws while stabbing out with its tails again. Ilweran blocked the stingers as he dodged out of the way of a jet of venom from one of the copies, but the right front claw of the parent caught him by surprise. Knocking his legs out from under him and taking him to the ground. Seeing his moment approaching, Hiccup used his blunted off claws to climb the rough stone of the tunnel wall. Watching as the other foreleg hooked Menelmacil, which skittered away back out towards the intersection.

The dragon gave a weird clicking laugh then, as if celebrating its victory. Disarmed now, and clearly resisting the urge to call on his magic again, Ilweran scooted back until he was against the cavern wall as the dragon scuttled towards him. The smaller copies tried to move in, but the bigger beast hissed at them before turning back to Ilweran. Its putrid maw opening wide and its slimy tongue running over its teeth in expectation of a feast as the dripping tusks oozed a viscous acid/venom mixture in a sickly green. "Anytime now," Ilweran muttered as he cringed away from the thing.

Not wanting to sacrifice his good hand right now, Hiccup hooked one finger of his right hand through the loop on the end of the wire as he clutched the holsters tightly. Then he dropped down from the ceiling to land between Ilweran and the beast. Before the creature could react, Hiccup jammed his fist right down the thing's throat. Feeling the venom drip onto his armour and neck where it began to sizzle and burn, but the arm in its mouth successfully blocked it from closing its jaws.

Dropping the payload, Hiccup removed his arm from the dragon's mouth before it could find some other way to tear the limb off. The attached loop tugging the garrotting wire free. The silver steel band came flying back out of the creature's maw then, with a string of tiny loops and pins attached. "RUN!" Hiccup shouted at Ilweran. Grabbing him and pulling him up from the ground as the two of them took off down the passage. The creature gagged once and swallowed the bombs the rest of the way before it and its offspring started running after them. Sounding like a stampeding herd of thunderpedes. Ilweran quickly summoning Menelmacil and sheathing it as they passed by the white sword.

The venom was searing through Hiccup's shoulder and neck, creeping into his face, but his regeneration magic was already fighting it back. Thanking Cuithanna's mark again, Hiccup dived down the last of the three passages with Ilweran. Both of them ducking down and covering their heads as the first of the explosions ripped through the creature. The bombs were not exactly precision timed after all. Peaking out past the gold and emerald of their rushed shields, the two men watched the thing scream in agony as part of its tender underbelly was ripped open from the inside.

It rolled over and started to vanish again, but the runes on the canisters (similar to those Hiccup had used when making his legendary blades) allowed the bombs to cross the veil with it. Lighting up with a familiar emerald glow as soon as they crossed the boundary. More of the blasts tore through the monster then. Forcing it back to solid form, and it clawed at its own chest violently as it lay on its back now. Seeing its end, it began to shriek in terror while trying to get the devices out, but it was no good. In a final symphony of explosions, the thing blew apart into dozens of smaller fragments.

The explosion was so violent that it wiped out the mild shields the two men were projecting. The smaller parasitic copies beginning to burst as well like some sort of horrible fireworks crescendo. A mixture of blood, gore, and poison flew everywhere. Coating the tunnel walls and the two men. Hunched over with their hoods pulled as low as they would go over their heads, all they could do was cover their faces against the debris now raining down on them.

Just as everything grew silent, there was the sound of tumbling rocks above them as the floor began to shake. Clearly, the tunnel was about to collapse. "Fucking run!" Ilweran shouted. Hiccup didn't need to be told twice. Both men sprang to their feet and raced down the tunnel ahead of them. Hoping that this one wasn't a dead-end as well, because otherwise they were screwed. They could hear the crashing rumble of the boulders behind them. Feel the rush of wind and rock dust at their backs, and they put on an extra burst of speed as Hiccup conjured a quick ice wall behind them now to buy time. Ilweran quickly casting the strongest shield he could muster on the run as well.

The sound of rockfall was suddenly muffled slightly by the thick ice dam and shield spell. All too soon though, the sound of cracking ice was echoing around them as the warding spell splintered apart. Seeing a lightening at the end of the tunnel, they both tumbled through it. Coming out at a staircase just as the ice wall gave way and the rest of the tunnel came down. After one last glance at the collapsed opening, they both started up the stairs. Emerging into what had to be a disused side wing of Volgar's estate.

There was a heavy ward blocking their path here too, but the gold and green smashed through it as if it wasn't even there. Thankfully, they could hear the sounds of battle still raging at the gate over the roar of the shattering barricade. Taking the nearest exit out of the structure, they looked back at the collapsed expanse of ground above the tunnels where they had been. Then they both raced around to the courtyard where the two groups of dwarves were locked in fierce combat. The bright silver methril of Bluntaxe's guard as easily visible as stars in the flickering light while Meririk's men blended into the darkness like shadows.

Many of Volgar's men already lay in pieces on the ground. Some hacked apart by dwarven axes or smashed with heavy hammers. Others had clearly been blasted apart by a well aimed shot from either of the bonded dragons. There were patches of Tintallë's liquid flames burning sporadically across the ground. Lighting the scene as the remains within them continued to burn.

With one glance at each other, the two elven men drew their swords before leaping into the fray. Taking out at least ten of the soldiers before they had even realized the elves were there. Running a dwarven soldier through with Mordo, Hiccup left the blade protruding from the man's chest as he fell. Taking advantage of his free hand, Hiccup launched two throwing knives at the men that were fighting Meririk. Both sleek blades sinking deep into their eye slots and through to their brains. Killing them instantly.

Looking around in confusion and seeing Hiccup, Meririk grinned through the blood soaking his beard. "Thanks friend. Welcome to the party," he shouted before taking off to help another one of his men. With a chuckle Hiccup summoned his blades back as he ran another dwarf soldier's neck through with Cala. The man's head promptly departed his torso as blood fountained up from the collapsing body. Splashing onto Hiccup's already gore coated armour, and he barely even noticed.

Just as he turned to summon Mordo from the first dwarf, a gleaming silver blade flew past his face. In mild surprise, he watched it sink through the throat of a resourceful dwarven soldier that had been using the dead bodies of his brethren to gain height. Crawling up onto them before launching himself at Hiccup's back. Hiccup sidestepped slightly, and with a gargled squeal, the dwarf dropped to the ground at his feet and didn't move again. "Aww, you do love me," Hiccup teased as he grinned at Ilweran. Rolling his eyes, Ilweran summoned his own stiletto back before grabbing an axe from a fallen dwarf's carcass and chucking it into another dwarf's head. The handle sticking comically out from the helmet as the blade buried itself deep into the man's thick skull.

With another laugh, Hiccup grasped Mordo's hilt. Both elven men darting and spinning through the throng of enemy soldiers. Probably looking like beautiful and nimble nadders amidst a stampede of gronkles as they used their knives, swords, and scavenged weapons on any that came within their reach. Using bursts of magic where they could, but there were very few things that worked on dwarves. They would blast some of the soldiers into the wide river, or create physical barriers out of rock or fire, but it was tough to do without hitting their allies. Magic did not distinguish between friend or fo, after all. All the while, the tough and battle hardened dwarves continued to put up one Hel of a decent fight. Each life that the two Riders' added to their count was not earned easily.

Hiccup had just picked up a war hammer from one of the fallen when he spotted a dwarf with unnecessarily decorative armour and shield now locked in combat with Meririk and one of his men. A large group of guards rushing to the man's aid. Dropping down and placing one hand on the ground, Hiccup called a barrage of stones out of the cavern floor. Raising them into the air before casting them at the soldiers like hailstones. They weren't big enough to kill the men, but anything larger was too dangerous with the tangle of enemy and friendly soldiers.

He just hoped that he had at least slowed them down, and that the painful projectiles were not hitting too many of Meririk's men. Then Hiccup sent the hammer in his other hand careening towards the dwarves by Ilweran now with enough force to take out both. Their methril helmets caving and melding together as blood and grey matter splattered the ground. "I found Volgar," Hiccup shouted. Pointing towards the separate grouping when Ilweran turned to glance at him. With a nod, both men started cutting their way over to the target. Simply stepping on or over the bodies on the ground rather than carefully treading around them. Respect for the dead did not exist in this sort of combat.

As a group of soldiers broke away from the melee and made straight for them, Hiccup raised up the bodies of a few mutilated dwarfs near the incoming soldiers and hurled them at the group. Caught completely by surprise, the soldiers didn't even pause in their charge. It was equal parts morbid and comical, and Hiccup couldn't stop himself from rasping a dark laugh as the short and brawny men all tripped over the new obstacles like children in a game of follow the leader. Landing in a dog pile of tangled limbs and weapons on the blood soaked ground.

Reaching Volgar and his closest guards, Hiccup and Ilweran joined in the fight. It became immediately clear that these dwarves were much more skilled than the others. They blocked many of the blows before striking back. Hiccup caught one of the heavy hammer strikes on Cala, and the force vibrated through the sword and up into his already stiff shoulder. In retaliation, he sliced off one of the dwarf's arms instead. The man shouted hoarsely, but picked up his hammer with the other hand and kept on fighting as he bled out all over the ground. Until he finally collapsed that is. Screaming as the icy tendrils of Mordo's dark magic seeped through his veins.

It was chaotic, it was bloody, and Hiccup was once again thankful that Astrid didn't have to experience something like this yet. She didn't need any more nightmares to contend with. No wonder Odin and Noldo had picked the mercenaries for this mission. Already having suspected that it wouldn't be a quiet capture and knowing the other Riders wouldn't care for this sort of outnumbered warfare... Still, they eventually fought their way through to Volgar.

As Volgar locked blade and shield with the Dark Rider, the Lord eyed Hiccup up and down nervously. Taking in the sheer amount of blood, gore, and dust coating his cloak, face, and hair. Noticing this, Hiccup laughed darkly. "Sorry for the mess," he said lightly as he disengaged. "You see, we just arrived from the tunnels beneath the estate where we were busy killing your pet dragon."

"You killed my dragon? How is that even possible," Volgar asked quietly. Clearly shocked.

"Because we are the best," Ilweran intoned then while removing his still gleaming sword from the torso of one of Volgar's soldiers. Letting the blood and excrement coat his boots as the disemboweled dwarf dropped limply to the ground. Gargling and moaning his final breaths as he tried futilely to stuff his innards back in. "I will admit that it gave us quite the run for our money, but no one beats the Riders," Ilweran taunted as he stepped over the dying dwarf. "Beast, demon, man, or any combination of the three."

"Unfortunately for you, we also found all of the other dragons. The abused and enslaved ones that you created it from," he added coldly. "You should know that us Riders do not take well to the mistreatment of dragons." Twirling Menelmacil once, he paced towards the man and his remaining guards with a dangerous glint in his amber orbs. Volgar's eyes stretched wider, and his men closed ranks around him, as Meririk cursed angrily under his breath and glared at the Lord.

"We certainly do not, and my brothers and sisters would like me to take their revenge for them" Hiccup growled. Allowing his pupils to turn to slits again as he gazed down at the dwarf that had tortured his fellow dragons. "We have been asked to bring you in alive, and you should know that it will be much less painful for you if you surrender." Volgar barked a tremulous laugh at that. Muttering 'never' as he raised his heavy war axe and shield again. "Excellent. I was hoping that you would continue to resist," Hiccup purred. Flashing his fangs at the man in a wicked grin as he lunged at him again.

Volgar was a good fighter. He knocked the swords aside repeatedly with his shield as he dodged out of the way before coming in for his own attack. Using his densely heavy frame to put tooth-rattling force behind each strike as methril weapons and legendary blades screeched and clanged against each other. Volgar was moving much quicker than his short legs and stout stature should allow. Swinging his axe with brute force while keeping his shield tucked in enough to easily defend himself. Striking low as he used Hiccup's height against him.

He was forcing Hiccup to continually contort to save his own legs or dance back out of the way to avoid a devastating hit. Keeping him distracted from using what magic he could. Still, Hiccup was faster, and much angrier, despite the fact that he was toning down his abilities somewhat because of the audience. He knew that Meririk would struggle greatly against this stalky man, and even Ilweran would have his work cut out for him. So instead of risking anyone else cutting in, Hiccup pushed Volgar back further and further from the protection of his guard instead. Ilweran, Meririk, and his men holding the rest at bay.

Finally, it was just Hiccup and Volgar. Elf against dwarf, but Bluntaxe didn't know that he was not simply fighting an elf. With a dual strike aimed towards Volgar's head that forced him to use both shield and axe to block, Hiccup waited until Volgar's arms were above his shoulders. Then in a display of unnatural speed and strength, even for an elf, Hiccup kicked out at the dwarf's now undefended chest. Catching him completely by surprise and knocking him backwards. Sending him sliding across the ground before he even knew what was happening, and with enough force to crush his nearly indestructible methril chest plate.

The dwarf lay there, dazed and winded for a long moment before looking around for his adversary. Meeting Hiccup's gaze, he began to open and close him mouth, but no sound came out. Only the agonized wheeze of a severe chest injury. At least it didn't sound like his lungs were punctured. Hiccup hated the idea of having to expend even the smallest amount of energy to heal this piece of shit.

"Okay, I surrender," Volgar finally choked out. Spitting out a mouthful of blood as he gasped raggedly for each breath. His solid dwarvish ribs clearly shattered. Hacking and grimacing now, he glared at Hiccup with a new glimmer of fear in his eyes. "I give up. Take me in like a good little servant. You won't get paid if you kill me."

Stalking towards the stunned and wounded dwarf, Hiccup smirked darkly. "Afraid to die, are you? Well, you might be surprised to learn that we do not all do terrible things simply for the money. Some of us just do it for the fun of it, and killing you would certainly be great fun," he pointed out with a truly evil laugh. "Now, it may not really be my style, but I am actually going to take you in alive. I just feel that you should get a taste of your own medicine first. After all, they only said that they need you alive. They did not say anything about needing you to be in one piece."

"I've surrendered," Volgar wheezed at him. "That's a crime! You wouldn't dare!" His ruddy complexion turned deathly pale as he tried to roll over. Shaking his arm free of his heavy shield so that he could use it to try and clamber to his feet. Before he could even really start to move, Hiccup kicked the shield away before placing his foot in the perfectly sized indent in Volgar's armour. Pressing him back into the dirt, he began to summon the dwarf's axe. Volgar struggled desperately to hold onto it as he clutched the weapon with both hands now. His arms rising into the air with it as his stubby fingers clung to the handle like his life depended on it. Likely expecting Hiccup to disarm and then torture him. Silly dwarf...

As soon the the dwarf's arms were extended enough, Hiccup brought Mordo around in a blur of black and sliced through Volgar's arms. Just above the wrists. Volgar's hands flopped to the ground. Blood now streaming out of his severed forearms to splatter down onto his face. With nothing to hold it up anymore, the large battle axe dropped from the air. Pinning its owner to the ground by his shoulders as it landed heavily on his upper chest. Sheathing his night-black blades now, Hiccup watched Volgar stare at his bleeding wrists is horrified shock. Clearly still struggling to comprehend what had just happened.

"I am the Dark Rider, halfling," Hiccup stated with another laugh. "There is very little that I will not do. Your hands for their wings and tails. A fair enough trade, I think. I should take your legs as well, but you did let the dragons keep those, so I suppose you can too." Volgar had finally started screaming by the time Ilweran made his way over. Seizing the axe in one hand and the dwarf in the other, Hiccup hauled them both up from the ground. Holding Volgar by the back of his armour as he met Ilweran's eyes. "You mind, bro?"

"With pleasure," Ilweran grinned in return. Calling up his magic again before grabbing the useless and hemorrhaging stumps of Volgar's arms and holding the flaming gloves of fire over the ends. Cauterizing the wounds shut as Volgar thrashed and screamed even louder. The soldiers around them halting in their fighting and everything else going eerily quiet as the man they were all here for had his flesh cooked off his bones by furious elves. As Ilweran released the now sealed and blackened stumps, Hiccup let Volgar drop to the ground where he curled into a ball and sobbed piteously. "Now you truly know how the dragons felt," Ilweran said coldly.

Summoning the two severed hands as he conjured a cloth sack, Hiccup placed the still weeping appendages into it. Swinging it around as scarlet began to soak through the bottom, he knelt down beside Volgar. "It is understandable that you are upset," Hiccup offered in mock sympathy, "but at least you will not bleed out before you can be questioned. Of course, there were less painful ways we could have done this as us elves are rather gifted with magic, but I like this way better. After all, if it was good enough for the dragons, then it is certainly good enough for you."

"Now, maybe if you are a good boy and do not put up any more fuss, I will give you your hands back," he teased brightly. 'Boop-ing' the sobbing dwarf on the nose once as one would to a child, and hearing him choke in response, before standing and looking around at the silent soldiers. Some of whom had actually hoisted their weapons again and were simply waiting for the order from Bluntaxe. "If not, I am afraid that this is likely going to get even more unpleasant for you. As well as any others that choose to keep fighting for you. Much more enjoyable for me though."

With a feral smirk twisting his lips and a flash of green magic, Hiccup summoned one of the lance-like perimeter stakes right out of the ground. Catching the crude wooden pole as he glanced at Ilweran. "If I stack them ass to mouth, how many dwarves do you think I can fit on this thing," he asked loudly. Seeing many of the dwarf soldiers blanch noticeably in fear at the thought of being skewered on a splintery wooden stake at the hands of the deranged Dark Rider.

Ilweran chuckled as he smirked around at the now motionless and completely terrified soldiers. "At least three," he replied with a shrug. Spinning his sword menacingly as the flickering firelight danced over the beautiful white blade. "Four if you pick the littlest ones," he added with a sneer, and a few barely audible whimpers sounded through the ranks as some of the shortest dwarves shifted nervously.

"I would say you are probably right. Means I should not need to fill up too many stakes before the rest finally start surrendering. Might need the dragons to come out and help hold them still though," Hiccup said easily as he sighted down the long post, as if measuring it. Then he turned back to the gasping Bluntaxe. The man's eyes overly wide as he stared up at Hiccup in mute horror now instead. "I certainly hope you and your men have strong stomachs, as this does have a tendency to get rather messy. Especially when the victims start to struggle..."

As he spoke, both enormous dragons emerged from the shadows as they came to stand with their Riders and Meririk. At that, the rest of the soldiers in silver threw down their weapons and dropped to the ground. "That is what I thought," Hiccup drawled arrogantly. "Pity. It really has been far too long since I got to properly impale someone. Perhaps next time," he sighed. Giving an exaggerated shrug as Ilweran started laughing.

Driving the sharpened post back into the ground point first, Hiccup then summoned the methril weapons of Bluntaxe's soldiers into a pile at his feet. Lighting them on fire with a wave of his hand before gesturing at the exhausted and disarmed soldiers now kneeling on the ground. "Do you mind dealing with this while we take Lord Bluntaxe here to the palace," Hiccup asked Meririk. "Make sure that his family is safe too, please. We will come back for you as soon as we can. As for them, I am sure that the King will be more than happy to send a cart for whatever is left of them," Hiccup added darkly. Receiving a wide grin in return.

"Certainly," the dwarf chuckled. With a grin of his own, Hiccup pulled the still sobbing Volgar back to his feet.

"Now, you can walk into the palace under your own power, or mine," Hiccup asked Volgar. Receiving a groan of defeat and a muttered 'my own' in response. "As you wish," Hiccup said brightly. "Toothless, if you would carry this for me?" Grasping Volgar by the back of his methril armour, Hiccup tossed him into the air. Keeping his teeth retracted, Toothless caught the dwarf in his mouth with a rasped laugh as Volgar squealed like a stuck pig through his agony. Tintallë rasping her own laugh as she blew a puff of smoke at Volgar's face that made him scream again.

The Riders then removed whatever was left of the now unnecessary sight spells from their allies. Toothless re-lighting the torches in a flash of blue-purple magic that had Ilweran raising an eyebrow in surprise, but saying nothing. Then, without a backwards glance, Hiccup and Ilweran leapt onto their dragons and headed back towards the city. Not really caring whether Meririk and his men killed the rest of the soldiers or not.

As they arrived back over Moghdarom, the citizens peered up again. Then, as they touched down in the square, there were audible screams of alarm at the sight of the gore-drenched Riders. Grinning at them and knowing that his white fangs would stand out brightly against his scarlet soaked skin, Hiccup dropped down from Toothless. Ilweran jumping down from Tintallë at the same moment. His armour and cloak more red than white now. Toothless then lowered his head and dropped the still sobbing and now saliva coated Volgar on the ground.

When the people realized who exactly was being brought in by the Riders, it became instantly clear just how disliked Lord Bluntaxe was. As Hiccup dragged Volgar back to his feet and shoved him towards the palace steps, people came out of side streets to jeer at the man. Rotten food from compost piles being snatched up and hurled at the once arrogant Lord. Volgar didn't even flinch as he was pelted with the rancid waste. Completely shocked, he simply shuffled ahead with a limp and a wheeze as he continued to stare at his charred stumps. Muttering over and over, "my hands... he took my hands..."

At the top of the steps, King Greatmail's guards took one look at Volgar before they all started laughing. The general stepping forward with a grin as he said, "I'll take him from here boys." Then he kicked out Volgar's knee. Knocking him to the ground where the dwarf lay still. Tears still leaking into his beard as he clutched his useless stumps to his aching chest, as if to protect what was left of them. "I don't suppose we need to tie his hands, since he's got none. Looks like we are going to have to cut that armour off of him though, men. Might be easier to just remove the rest of his arms instead. Better get the saws sharpened up," the general added. All of them laughing harder as the Lord whimpered in fear.

Gazing down at him coldly, Hiccup could not find a single ounce of pity within himself for this repulsive man. He had earned this punishment. As the guards dragged Volgar through the entrance and towards the dungeons, Hiccup and Ilweran started towards the throne room instead. Their loyal dragons trailing behind. Before they could get out of earshot, Volgar suddenly yelled out desperately, "wait! You said that if I came quietly, you would give me my hands back."

Hiccup and Ilweran glanced at each other for a moment. "He makes a valid point bro," Ilweran said with a shrug. "You did promise."

"Aye, that I did," Hiccup agreed. "I am a man of my word, after all." Chuckling slightly at how much he sounded like his own father all of a sudden. With that, he unhooked the blood soaked cloth sack from his belt and tossed it to Volgar and the guards where it landed on the stone floor with an oddly wet thump. "There are your hands. Consider them returned." With identical rasping chuckles, Hiccup and Toothless bumped fist to forepaw at that.

"I thought you would heal them," Volgar screamed in outrage before releasing another stream of hacking coughs. "What the fuck am I supposed to do with those," he finished furiously once he could speak again.

"I said that elves are gifted in magic. I never said that we were going to use it to heal you," Hiccup replied with an evil grin as Ilweran laughed. "Perhaps one of the palace ladies will sew your hands back on for you instead. Although I am sure you will get about the same amount of use out of them as you would leaving them in that bag." Chuckling darkly along with the guards as Volgar raged and cursed about cheating 'sky-walkers', Hiccup and Ilweran turned and sauntered the rest of the way to the throne room. Toothless and Tintallë rasping their deep dragon laughs as they followed their Riders.

Pushing the door open, they found Ve and Garkas awaiting them already. "The guards are taking Bluntaxe to the cells as we speak," Ilweran offered with a slight bow of his head. "He did not give up easily, but we did manage to bring him in alive for you, if a little worse-for-the-wear. We found the tunnels where the dragon breeding was taking place, as well. Most of them collapsed during the skirmish that followed, but Captain Meririk Bloodstone of the Eastern Guard can direct your men to the location if you require. There are still dragons down there, though the ones that remain are held in cages and they have long lost the will to fight."

King Garkas and Ve Allfather both blanched at those words as well as the copious amount of blood on the two Riders, and Hiccup simply shrugged as he and Ilweran pushed their hoods back. "You were not wrong about the hybrid dragons or the increased guard. Bluntaxe had a small battalion waiting for us as well as an uncontrollable monster residing in the tunnels below the estate. At best, we figure that it was a blend of multiple species of native dragon as well as a healthy measure of demon essence. It was tough to take down, but not impossible."

"Captain Meririk and his men assisted us in the raid," Hiccup supplied as Ve paled even more and Garkas reached out for a chair to hold onto. Toothless and Tintallë glaring and growling low in their throats at the King and Æsir as if angry at how much danger their Riders had been put in. "They are currently tying up loose ends at the estate, as well as seeing to the family. We will fetch the captain and his men, but a much larger transport will likely be required for Bluntaxe's personal guard." Hiccup flashed a wicked smile at the king then as he added, "I am honestly not sure how many of them will still be alive when you get there."

"Very well, boys," Garkas said with a sigh. "I never bothered to fool myself that this was going to be a quick and clean capture. As long as the family is alright, the council will still be appeased. The son will be sent for, and the family compensated for their suffering. Although I doubt very much that any of them will miss the scoundrel. Now, for your payment," he muttered distractedly as he searched his robes. Pulling out two bursting sacks of gems with an 'aha' and offering them to the Riders.

"Thank you sir," Ilweran said with a grin as he and Hiccup looped the small money bags onto their belts. "Always a pleasure doing business with you. If there is nothing more that you require, I think we would like to fetch Meririk and his men, have a wash followed by a stiff drink, and then head home."

"Understandable," Garkas chuckled as Ve grinned at them now. Both men reaching out to shake hands with the Riders. "A transport will be sent to pick up the remaining soldiers as soon as it can be assembled. Thank you again, and safe journey boys." They bowed to the king again before making their way back out to the courtyard. Waving at the remaining guards cheerily before mounting their dragons. Arriving back at the estate, Hiccup was admittedly surprised to find many of the remaining soldiers tied together in a huddle, but still relatively unharmed.

After checking on Volgar's wife and children themselves, Hiccup and Ilweran helped the captain and his men clamber back onto the dragons. Heading into the city, they made their way straight to one of the upper class bathhouses in the pleasure district as the two dragons headed back to the castle to be pampered by Garkas' stable hands. Needing some comic relief for the men after that battle, Hiccup and Meririk even made sure to purchase a bath service on the sly while Ilweran wasn't paying attention. "He might be a bit reluctant at first," Hiccup whispered to the Madam, "but that is just because it has been ever so long and he is a wee bit shy. He secretly likes it rough, though. Send Henka in if you need too." The woman smiled and chuckled as she accepted the gems Hiccup offered her.

Meririk snorted behind his beard as they all filed into the changing room. At Ilweran's confused glance, the captain just smiled innocently at him. Tossing their combined armour and garments into a hamper to be washed, dried, and mended, they all took a first rinse under the wide waterfall at the entrance to the bathhouse proper. Though it looked natural, it was simply cleverly constructed by the dwarves. Channeling a few of the multitude of natural hot springs that flowed through the caverns into one large one instead.

Free of blood, dirt, and gods know what else, they then headed into the room of bathing tubs full of steaming water. Each one large enough for two people (or roughly four dwarves, Hiccup thought with a chuckle) and inset into the floor. Everything heated by more branches of those same natural hot springs. Each man took one and slumped down into it as the hot water soothed aching and battle weary muscles. Meririk and Hiccup kept grinning at each other, but said nothing. After letting them soak for a while, the first group of women came in. Scrubbing and rinsing the mens' hair for them, and leaving a tray of food and drink beside each tub before shuffling back out.

When the scantily clad dwarven woman arrived afterwards and started trying to wash the prince down however, Hiccup, Meririk, and his men all broke down into hysterical laughter. At Ilweran's continued struggles and protest, another dwarven woman with big, beefy arms and a slight moustache came in and proceeded to lean over Ilweran and hold him down. He gave up struggling then and just muttered death threats under his breath. The words muffled by the large bosom now pressed to his face as the first dwarf began to slowly rub the prince's chest and abs with a moist sponge. Smiling suggestively at him the whole time.

"I hate you," Ilweran grumbled past the ample breasts as he used his foot to splash bath water at Hiccup. Then, when the dwarf's hand strayed beneath the surface, Ilweran nearly jumped right out of the water. "Hey now! Those royal goods are strictly off limits," he growled at her and she just grinned back mischievously. Making all of them laugh even harder.

"Cheer up brother," Hiccup joked as they dried off afterwards. "You look well scrubbed." Ilweran flipped his middle finger up as he threw his wet towel at Hiccup's face. Still grumbling slightly as they made their way back out into the street donning their clean (and in Hiccup's case mended) armour and cloaks. With a laugh, Hiccup draped an arm over his friend's shoulder as he added, "would you have preferred it if I had washed you down instead, Moon Pie?"

"Dear gods no," Ilweran said with a laugh of his own now as he shoved Hiccup away from him. "If that is my only options, I will take the lady dwarf with the moustache any day." They all chuckled boisterously at that as they made their way to the tavern. After a few drinks at Grimlok's, Hiccup and Ilweran handed Meririk the sacks of gems that they had received as payment.

"You know what to do with this," Hiccup said lightly as the captain tied the pouches to his own belt.

"That I do," Meririk replied with a smile. "My men and I will purchase the food and supplies tomorrow, and I will take them down to the east side myself. The King owes us a day or two off anyways after what we just went through for him. It would have been easier to just kill the bastard rather than trying to capture him and clean up his mess." Then he raised his tankard respectfully to Hiccup and Ilweran as he added, "you know, no matter how scary you both are, not many would give their entire earnings to help the poor of a people that are not even their own. You two sky-walkers really are good men." Using the somewhat derogatory term with a grin of good humour.

"As are you lot of halflings," Ilweran replied with a teasing smile of his own. They all laughed as they raised their tankards to toast to that. After a few more rounds, the dwarves followed them outside and waved them off as the two massive dragons headed back towards the main gatehouse. With one last glance around and a cheerful farewell for the guards, they soared out of the cavern and into wide open sky for the first time in five days. Taking a few deep breaths of fresh air and a moment to enjoy the fiery oranges of the sunset, they made straight for the boundary and Bifröst. Having Heimdall transport them to Alfheim instead. Ve could provide Odin with a report when he transported the criminal back to Asgard.

It was night on Alfheim when they came through the gateway. Toothless and Tintallë making straight for the palace. Arriving silently on the third floor balcony of Ilweran's private room. Stormfly raised her head to peer at them for a moment before cracking a toothy smile. Signalling for her to be quiet, the two men crept their way into the bedroom as they stripped off their cloaks and remaining weapons. Then Ilweran gently removed his dagger from her hand so she didn't stab them before they both carefully climbed onto either side of the bed. Ilweran laying down in front of Astrid as Hiccup scooted up behind her and wrapped his arm around her.

She murmured softly and snuggled back against him for a moment, before her eyes suddenly flew wide open. Landing first on Ilweran's laughing golden gaze on the pillow in front of her with a startled jolt. Then she looked around in confusion until she saw Hiccup behind her. "You're back," she squealed in delight. Giving Ilweran a quick hug as he chuckled softly before she rolled over and wrapped her arms tightly around Hiccup. Nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck as she did. "I missed you guys so much," she murmured against his skin.

"We missed you too," Hiccup laughed as he held her to him for a moment before letting her flop onto her back. "No amount of dwarves, dragons, or money could keep us away for very long when there was such a beautiful woman waiting for us back home," he teased. Watching a lovely blush colour her cheeks.

"So, how was your stay at the palace, princess," Ilweran asked then. He and Hiccup both propping themselves up on their elbows and gazing down at her now instead.

"It was surprisingly pleasant," Astrid grinned back. "Despite the fact that Odin sent Thor and Amenmeit to check up on me." As both Hiccup and Ilweran tensed noticeably, Astrid placed a hand soothingly on each of their chests. "It went just fine, you guys. Queen Lerina sent them packing after only one night, and they were thoroughly impressed with my skill level. Even though Golwen and I only practiced the most basic of beginner spells in front of them. I didn't even kill Amee while she was here," Astrid added smugly, and Hiccup couldn't help laughing at that.

"And what exactly did Amee want with you," Hiccup asked interestedly. Still impressed with Astrid for not attacking the priestess on sight. She had good reason to, after all.

"Well, I think she was partially hoping to see either of you two," Astrid supplied with a grimace. "That wasn't the whole reason though. She wanted to apologize to me for her behaviour in Asgard, since she obviously noticed my feelings for you just like everyone else did. Though she did offer her sympathies to me for the fact that I will never have you. Turns out that I am just one of many bleeding hearts at your feet because the Dark Rider is not actually capable of love. At least my devious feminine charms have managed to trick the lofty and detached elven prince into letting me into his private bedroom," she added with a smirk and Hiccup and Ilweran both snorted laughs at that.

"So we agreed to a truce," Astrid finished with a shrug. "Though I did make sure to tell her that if she touches either of you ever again, I will cut her hands off and feed them to Stormfly. I'm pretty sure that she got the message that I wasn't kidding either, since I was very close to putting Ilweran's dagger through her at the time." Ilweran laughed and reached out for a high-five at that as Hiccup rasped a chuckle at her.

"I knew you would be just fine without us," he teased. Leaning down to kiss her for a moment and feeling her fingers twine into his hair as she deepened it with a soft moan. When he broke away, she smiled up at him for another few seconds before looking over at Ilweran again.

"Anyways, your family and Golwen are always absolutely wonderful to me, and there are so many interesting things to look at here. Although I think you boys are in for quite the relentless teasing when the others find out you're back." She looked between the two of them then and a sly smile twisted her perfect lips. "Especially when I tell them that I was in bed with both of you. I mean, this is a sight that a girl could really get used to waking up to every morning. Although, preferably you would both be naked..."

"Nope," Ilweran said as he quickly rolled off the bed.

"Not happening," Hiccup spouted at the same time as he rolled off the other side.

"Well, that's one way to get the entire bed to myself," Astrid joked. Exaggeratedly stretching her arms out wide and smiling innocently at them. The two of them gaped at her for a second before they met eyes over the bed and burst out laughing.

"What are we going to do with you," Hiccup chuckled as he shook his head at her.

"Oh, I can think of a few things..." Astrid trailed off with a wicked grin.

"Sweet Thor! And she thinks we are the perverts," Ilweran laughed. Astrid just shrugged her shoulders at him, before attempting to conceal a yawn with her hand.

"You guys are the perverts," she pointed out indignantly. Then her lip pouted out slightly as she looked between them. "I missed you both so much," she added sheepishly before yawning again. "Please don't leave. I was kidding."

"She has a point, bro. You and I are the filthy and twisted fiends, while she is like the innocent little butterfly that we are slowly corrupting," Hiccup reminded Ilweran. "It really is our own fault that she is now having un-pure thoughts about us." Then with another chuckle, Hiccup crawled back onto the bed to lay beside Astrid again. Wrapping his arm back around her.

"Mmm... that's better. I love you, by the way. My favourite twisted fiend," she mumbled tiredly as she rolled onto her side and snuggled in closer to him.

Laughing softly, Hiccup kissed her neck gently before whispering, "I love you too," into her ear. Feeling her shiver once at the touch of his lips before she glanced back up at Ilweran through slightly hooded eyes.

Meeting her sleepy gaze, Ilweran offered her a mock sigh. "True enough. In that case, welcome to our dangerous web, little butterfly," he joked. Golden eyes laughing mischievously in the darkness. Shrugging his shoulders then, he came back to lay on her other side as she giggled at him.

"I don't really mind being corrupted by you two," she answered honestly. Her voice coming out breathy and on the verge of dreams.

With a quiet laugh, Ilweran put one hand on the bed near her while still leaving a careful gap between their bodies. "We know. Now sleep, princess. We are not going anywhere," he said gently. With a small smile and a sigh, she linked one set of tiny fingers through Hiccup's and the other through Ilweran's as her eyes drifted closed again. Curled between their warmth as Hiccup held her close.

Remarkably quickly, her breathing settled back into the restful rhythm of sleep, and Hiccup met his friend's eyes over Astrid's head. "Try not to enjoy this too much," Hiccup teased. Speaking in a low whisper so as not to wake Astrid, and chuckling quietly when Ilweran stifled a snort.

"That would be impossible," Ilweran shot back. "There is an extremely beautiful woman trapped in the middle of an extremely manly cuddle fest that is happening on my extremely neglected bed. This is all of my favourite things combined into one and you are telling me not to enjoy it? Well, it is already much too late for that," he added with a cheeky wink.

"You are ridiculous Moon Pie," Hiccup grinned back. His chest shaking with silent laughter. "I thought you said that you were not much of a cuddler? Yet here you are, all snuggled up."

"You bet I am Sweet Cheeks, and you love it. I always knew you wanted to jump into bed with me. Unfortunately my bed will never be the same again though. I will never be the same again," he said with an exaggerated sigh. "Apparently both of us remorseless assassins are just spineless push-overs where Astrid is concerned."

"Sweet Cheeks," Hiccup snorted as he met Ilweran's laughing gaze.

"If you are going to refer to me as Moon Pie, there will be retaliation," Ilweran said simply as Hiccup coughed to suppress another laugh.

"Fair enough, bro," Hiccup acquiesced with an eye roll. "There are worse things you could call me." Then he glanced down to check that Astrid was still asleep before adding, "if only they could all see the terrifying Dark Rider now, eh. I would probably have to impale a thousand dwarves just to get any semblance of respect back."

"Same here. At least you can blame it on your inner dragon and the fact that she is your mate. She has me wrapped around her godsdamn finger and she is not even mine! It is a bit pathetic really," Ilweran grumbled jokingly before taking a brief look around his bedroom with a softer sigh. "You know, I can honestly say that I never imagined my first time lying in this bed with a woman would involve another man being here too..."

"I never fathomed that I would ever find myself in bed with another man either. His bed or mine. Beautiful woman in the middle or not. Nor did I think that I would be able to shoot lightning out of my body, or that I would ever see a dragon/demon hybrid, or that I would let another man actually lay in a bed beside Astrid without me tearing his arms off and beating him to death with them," Hiccup mused with a shrug as Ilweran snorted out loud this time. "Today is just a day of firsts for everyone, I guess."

"So it would seem," Ilweran replied lightly. "I used to be such a callous bastard too. The tough guy with his own space and strict intimacy guidelines. Sticking to my no-cuddle rules even after Celeste, because cuddling is when the ladies get attached. Now I am breaking all of my own rules and turning into a big ol' softy, as Minden would say. I blame your woman for ruining me," he pointed out with a smirk as Hiccup rasped a laugh at his friend.

"To be fair, she is ruining both of us bro," Hiccup replied swiftly. "Just be glad that she did not pout enough to get us naked first. I have to admit, I have rarely ever been so thankful that elves do not sleep. At least we do not have to worry about waking up in the morning to find ourselves cuddling each other instead of Astrid..." Ilweran acknowledged that with another quiet chuckle as Hiccup grinned at him.

Then Ilweran's face grew serious for a moment as he gazed at the goddess slumbering in his bed before meeting Hiccup's eyes again. "All joking aside, you do know that I would never, ever try to take her from you. Not just because you are a terrifying elf/dragon hybrid that can apparently generate lightning at will and has retractable fangs. She truly is all yours, bro. Even if her strangely potent charms muddle my brain sometimes, I would never forgive myself if I did that to you. Or her."

"I know," Hiccup assured his friend with an easy smile. "I have never doubted you, brother. After all, you really are the sweet and innocent one. Well, when compared to me, at least. Besides, I love her, and so do you. Even if you do not know it yet," Hiccup teased as Ilweran muttered incoherent denials. "As long as she wants you here, I refuse to hurt her by chasing you away. Even if you were not already like family to me."

"It really is my own fault anyways. I should have warned you about her strange allure before we landed in Midgard, though I did not realize at the time that it would affect anyone else as strongly as it does me. Still, I know that you would never do anything to hurt her or abuse my trust, and I do not blame you in the slightest for the fact that she is attracted to you too, either. Gods know all of the other ladies are," he added with an eye roll. "Can you really blame them, though? I mean, we are both pretty sexy and incredible." He winked at Ilweran then as the prince allowed that with a grin.

"Can you honestly imagine what they would all think if they could see us now," Ilweran added softly. "What they would do? Both to us, and to her? There are women in multiple realms that have been plotting and scheming for years; desperately seeking some way to get to where Astrid is right now without even trying. If anything, she is the one wrapping us up in her dangerous web." Ilweran glanced back at Astrid again as he said, "this glorious goddess is going to be the death of us. You know that."

"That she is," Hiccup sighed. Nuzzling against Astrid's hair for a moment and enjoying the sweet scent of her mixed with undertones of lavender. Recalling Cuithanna's cryptic words about Astrid's inner darkness even as his mate slumbered peacefully in his embrace. Looking achingly innocent and incredibly, deceptively, fragile. Ilweran may just be right, but knowing it wouldn't change a godsdamn thing.

"She is more than strong enough to chase off almost anyone that threatens her, and you and I would happily take care of any that she could not," Hiccup pointed out quietly. "I may not love the idea, but we are like two fish trapped on the same hook. We are already all tangled up bro, and it is far too late for me to escape. You may still be able to break free, but as long as she wants me, I am here to stay. Besides, as long as the death is at her lovely hands, I will probably welcome it gladly," he finished with a small shrug of defeat.

Ilweran sighed in agreement as he rolled his eyes at that. Muttering 'ruined' under his breath. The two friends chuckled quietly again before settling into a comfortable silence. Both of them simply laying there beside Astrid as she slept comfortably between them. Her dreams thankfully devoid of nightmares tonight.

_

So... there it is... We managed to fit in a fight with a horrible demon/dragon, a bloody battle complete with both Riders fighting this time, beautifully twisted Dark Rider antics, Ilweran and Hiccup's fantastic friendship, and then we wrapped it all up with some adorable fluff at the end! Lucky Astrid...

So, what did you all think of it :P Was it worth the wait?..

Also, you will notice that there was a fair bit of influence from Fellowship of the Ring in these last few chapters. Particularly, the Mines of Moria. Congrats to SL99 for totally nailing the first reference of the Balrog. (The dark spirits/demons of Nidavellir maybe?... :P) At least nobody actually yelled out "You shall not pass!"

You may have noticed that there were not 1, but 2 names for the dwarves that our two fave elves used. One being 'ankle-biters' which I am quite sure they rarely use to their stalky friends' faces. As a hat-tip to Mr. Tolkien, of course the other one was 'halflings', because the dwarves are half the size of the elves. I love it, and it was too perfect to pass up. Lol