Time had passed by quite a bit after leaving behind the Frel Mountains. As Hiccup slowed his walking down to a stop, he took a brief moment to admire the new environment that now surrounded him, with his eyes facing to the east.
Above him, the late afternoon sun stood high in the cloudy, light blue sky, while around and below him, green grass laid beneath his feet, with patches of snow scattered across the hilly terrain. The few evergreen trees surrounding him blew lightly in the silent breeze, but were nothing compared to the woods that roared atop the cliffy mountains to the south.
To that, Hiccup breathed in the air deeply, before letting it out in a deep sigh.
"No more cold," he said to himself, before turning his head to look over his shoulder, giving a waving gesture of his arm towards the vanguard behind him, and thus he continued walking.
"Let's get it moving!"
The Alsworn, elves, and dwarves quickened their pace without question. By then, the vanguard's line had dispersed into groups, with each of the races sticking with their appropriate faction.
The captains, dragons, and riders on the other hand remained together, and upon catching up with Hiccup, conversation began among them.
"Ahh…" sighed Beldrak. "The air smells so fresh here. O' how I miss it! ...Well lads and lasses, I can tell ye fer certain that we're almost there."
"How much longer will it take?" asked Snotlout. "My legs are about to fall off."
"Then mount up, stupid," sighed Hookfang, muttering to himself in Dragonese...
The dwarven thane grinned. "Won't take long at all! Once we're beyond these trees, the gates shall lie before us."
"Hm," responded Hiccup. "Well what should we expect upon arrival? How will we know when we've arrived?"
"It's impossible tae miss, lad!" chuckled Beldrak. "The mountain o' Dalgard lies in a small valley, with fields of green and white, and tall cliffs tae the north that go from one end of the valley tae the other. It is a beautiful sight, but it isn't exactly safe. Ever since this war started, the entire area has acted as a battleground between the orcs and our throng. Fer every dwarf that fell, ten o' those brutes were slain by dwarven arms! We had 'em runnin' fer the hills!"
Astrid arched her brows. "Was it really that difficult for them to breach the gates?"
The blonde dwarf gave a nod. "Aye! With over a dozen cannons on the gates' ramparts, along with a hundred crossbolters, the orcs fell like grass being trampled by our armored ram riders! Heh, if a few of those buggers were lucky, they wouldn't be struck down by our gryphon riders!"
"Hmph," smirked Valara with a raised brow. "If there's one thing that you dwarves out-challenge all of Valnr in, it's technology."
"Hey- not gonna lie though, all that fightin' sure sounds like fun," said Ruffnut, to which her brother nodded in agreement.
"Of course it would…" said Heather, shaking her head. "You two are always looking for danger."
"What can we say?" responded Tuffnut. "It's in our Thorston blood."
"In that case, the two of you might fall before the valkyries can take you up to Valhalla," commented Olof jokingly.
The group let out a brief but loud laugh, causing the Twins to somewhat cringe in embarrassment. As soon as the fiasco came to a stop however, the rest of the walk continued in semi-silence, save for a few of the vanguard who conversed amongst one another, and those who were pushing and pulling the supply carts. Those who were not occupied however took the time to observe the tranquil scenery that surrounded them. For the elves and the Alsworn, this was the first time that they were going to lay their eyes upon the dwarven city.
Eventually, the trees began to thin out, and as the vanguard entered the opening, they all found themselves standing atop a large hill. That was when Beldrak came to a stop, to which the others then halted as well.
Before their very eyes was the valley of Dalgard.
"Haha!" laughed the dwarf cheerfully. "KHAAAZ'DAAALGAAARD!"
The young vikings awed at the sight. The snowy green fields of the valley blew against the cool breeze like the ocean's tide. The pines atop the rocks and cliffs waved in the wind. And the mountain of the dwarves towered over everything. To Hiccup and the others, it was one of the largest, if not the largest, mountain they had ever seen.
However, what caught their attention the most were the great stone doors of the city's gates. Large runes and engravings were carved into the structure, along with two massive dwarven statues that stood on either side, each holding up an axe whilst expressing out an open palm. True to the word, it was a mighty approach, and the ramparts above it were large enough to hold over a hundred dwarves.
"My my my…" said Stormfly in Dragonese. "Not even the mountain on Dragon Island compares to this."
"You can say that again," grinned Hookfang.
"I…" said Hiccup, nearly at a loss of words. "I don't know what to say... It's incredible."
Beldrak grinned. "Wait till ye see the inside o' the mountain itself. It'll be like nothing ye've ever seen. This I guarantee ye, viking."
Hiccup nodded, gazing back down at Beldrak as he motioned his hand to the dwarf. "Lead on, then."
The dwarf chuckled. "As ye wish... LET'S MOVE, LADS!"
The dwarves cheered at their thane's command, and as they proceeded onward towards the mountain, Hiccup looked back at the others standing by his side, all of whom expressed questioning gazes.
"You heard him."
To that, Olof and Valara shouted out commands to their men, and the rest of the vanguard began to follow Beldrak's lead.
The march towards the gates of the city was no longer in silence. The vikings, the elves, and the dwarves especially, spoke among each other with lively voices, and with every step they took down the hill and into the valley, the scent of the mountain grass became stronger. All but the dwarves wondered what to expect upon entering the mountain. What would the great city of Khaz'dalgard be like?
As the vanguard came closer to the gates, they eventually caught the attention of the dozens of dwarf crossbolters atop the ramparts; they were all armored in dwarven plate and scalemail, and garbed in hooded cloaks of royal blue and maroon, representing their kingdom's colors.
At first, they did not know what to make of the sight before them, for it had been ages since humans or elves had visited their city...
But in that moment, they spotted Beldrak and his Ironbeards, as well as the blue and maroon standard of Dalgard flying amongst them, and it all began to make sense.
"Oi there, lads!" waved Beldrak, with the vanguard still behind him. "I bring friends from Nordell and Aesilgard! They've come tae help our king with a certain matter!"
"A matter, eh?" called out one of the dwarven captains from atop the ramparts. "...Well, either way, we welcome yer return, Thane Ironbeard! And tae that, we'll open the gates fer ye! I'm certain King Kharinz will be honored tae meet yer… guests!"
Whilst continuing towards the approach, Hiccup and the group gazed their eyes upon the great stone gates. All of a sudden, the noise of several deep horns blared across the ramparts in chorus, like dragons singing out in a song. After that, the sound of stones grinding followed, and soon enough, the doors finally began to open...
...
Just like with the homes of the votun and the elves, Dalgard was unlike anything Hiccup or his friends had ever seen in their lives.
The city of the dwarves was made up of many large halls and chambers, filled with the towering statues of dwarves from ages past, and lit up by great braziers and lamps that glowed with the light of sun, moon, and crystal. However, what caught Hiccup's attention in particular were the huts and homes of the dwarves, for they were built within the walls of the halls themselves.
...But that was not all to see.
If one were to look down, they would see that the floors were made of a smooth, ancient stone, almost as old as the city itself. But upon looking up, they would see that the ceilings themselves were made of pure gold and silver.
As a whole, Dalgard seemed colossal. Yet as grand and vast as the halls of the city were, it was not difficult to explore, for many of its long halls still led to the same places...
Northeast of the gates were the Golden Depths, where the dwarves mined down deep into the mountain itself, for it was where all of their riches and ores laid, including the metal they prized the most; midgarite.
To the northwest, there was the Great Workshop. There, the dwarves forged their armor and weapons of war, as well as their cannons and siege machines. The anvils were as large as big boulders, and the great blazing forges were as hot as, if not hotter than, dragon fire.
Finally, between those wards laid the Royal Ring; a circular district in the very heart of the city where the gryphon aviary resided, along with a gaping chasm that went deep down into the mountain, with a great bridge crossing over it.
It was there, on the other side of that bridge, where the throne room of the mountain king resided. And that was exactly where Hiccup and the vanguard were headed.
With Beldrak and the others walking at the lad's side, and the vikings, elves, and dwarves marching behind him, they made their way through the great central hall, which led directly to the Royal Ring. Along the way, the riders and the dragons could not help but be astonished by their surroundings.
Many great braziers and colorful lamps lit up the hall, and the massive statues of the dwarves standing against the walls overlooked them. They even noticed the roofs of gold and silver above them, and this was something that made Snotlout's eyes widen.
"So much... gold…" he said to himself.
As the walk continued, Hiccup began noticing multiple groups of dwarven warriors occasionally marching by them. Everytime they passed by, they let out roaring cheers in his direction, yet he was uncertain as to who this was directed to.
The lad turned his gaze towards Beldrak. "Uhh… why are they cheering at us? It's kind of… odd."
"Heh! They aren't cheerin' at ye, lad," said the blonde dwarf. "They're cheerin' at me. The entire city of Dalgard was aware of my departure. Remember when Elendar sent his call fer aid tae King Kharinz? Well, the mountain king 'imself spread word of the trouble that was headed tae Nordell, and so I was the first tae answer. To that, he sent I, along with a hundred of my elite Ironbeards, tae defend the city."
"So they're cheering for you as a means of welcoming you back?" asked Hiccup.
The dwarven thane nodded. "Aye! Though I can't wait tae see how the rest of the thanes react tae my return. If all goes tae plan, we'll feast on meat and mead tonight!"
From there on, the rest of the walk went by in semi-silence, with the group still staring back at the city's spectacles and grandness. Soon enough however, the vanguard came upon the entrance to the Royal Ring, and it was at that moment that Beldrak raised his hand up, ordering his dwarven warriors to a halt.
Though a little confused, Hiccup did the same, and thus the rest of the vanguard came to a stop.
"Why did we stop...?" questioned Astrid.
Hiccup looked back down at the dwarf. "What is it, Beldrak?"
"...We can't bring the vanguard intae the throne room, lad," said Beldrak. "I'm certain King Kharinz wouldn't want some random army marchin' intae his chamber. If anything, only those of importance should approach him. The rest should stay behind."
"In that case," began Hiccup, turning back to face the group. "I think Astrid, Olof, and Valara should come with us. Everyone else should stay behind, including the dragons."
"Hmph… sounds reasonable enough," nodded the thane. "Very well!"
"What!?" exclaimed Snotlout. "What the Thor is the matter with us, your friends, coming along? Why on Midgard should we-"
"No point in arguing, Snotlout," interrupted Heather. "If Hiccup wants us to stay behind, then we will. After all, someone has to watch over the vanguard."
"Well said, Heather," nodded Hiccup. "Along with that however, I also want to bring the elven healers along. Aside from the warning we bring, we came here for another reason, and I intend to see King Kharinz cured of his illness."
Valara stepped forward. "Shall I bring them up, then?"
Hiccup once again gave a nod. "Please do."
To that, Valara looked over her shoulder, and called out in elven;
"Anandir! Tâl farath!"
Almost immediately, there was a slight hustling happening within the line. As such, the warriors of the vanguard began to spread out, making way for the healers to step forward to the front. Upon approaching their captain, they halted and proceeded to give her a bow.
The elven healers were divine in their appearance, garbed in white and blue silk robes that were much cleaner than any kind of clothing, and with long hair that was equally so. Their presences carried an aura that was as warm as the sun and as soothing as the moonlight, and in their hands, they carried staves with blue crystals at their heads, which glowed white with the healing energy of light magic.
"We're ready for whatever needs to be done, Captain Valara," said one of the healers.
Hiccup gave a nod of approval towards the elven captain. "Now then, I think it's about time we get moving. We don't want to-"
"Uh… Hiccup? Are you sure you don't want me to come along as well?" asked Toothless, catching his rider's abrupt attention. "I know I may not be of big importance in a case like this, but at least allow me to guard you. Maybe the king would like to know that there are dragons in his city."
The lad gave a sigh. Despite not seeing the complete point as to bringing the Night Fury along, his head slowly began to bob in a nod. "...Alright, fine."
…
Hiccup, Astrid, Valara, Olof, Toothless, and the elven healers had been waiting outside of the throne room for what felt like many long minutes. The group had crossed over to the other side of the bridge leading towards the king's chamber, yet to their surprise, they were unable to enter the chamber unless they had the permission of Kharinz himself. And this was despite having one of Dalgard's thanes among them.
As such, Beldrak had gone in alone to discuss with the king. Since then, they had been waiting and waiting, all whilst being kept company by six elite guards, standing besides the doors to the throne room with large halberds in-hand.
The elite guards wore dwarven armor that was of the best quality, thicker and bulkier than the average set of dwarf plating. And unlike the average dwarven warrior, their helmets were not the regular horned helmets, but ocular bucket helmets that covered their heads entirely, save for their beards.
Yet despite their fancy appearances, the elite warriors were not the focus of attention for Hiccup and Toothless; rather it was the doors to the throne room that caught their gazes.
The doors themselves were made of a smooth white stone, with a circle of runes engraved onto them that glowed with a vibrant blue energy. To Hiccup, it reminded him of the warm hue of the arcane element, and to that, he also wondered if the energy within the runes was, as a matter of fact, the very same magic.
"What are these runes on the doors?" he asked himself in a low voice. "Huh…"
As both he and Toothless continued staring at the doors, Astrid, Valara, and Olof were all the while in a discussion with one another, whilst the healers behind them stood in silence.
"Tell me something," began Astrid. "If your factions are friends with each other, then why didn't you ever come together to drive back the Dark Legions? You could've done some serious damage to them."
"When the war began, the Dark Legions' numbers were already too much for any of us," said Olof. "We couldn't split off to help one another, and over the years, it only got worse. The Alsworn were busy fighting the enemy on multiple fronts. The dwarves were on the defense against the orcs. The elves were hunting down Legion forces on their borders. And the votun were having problems with the orcs and local monsters…"
"...Honestly, it's hard to believe how long this war has been raging on. All of this began when Arn was only sixteen, and now, he's twenty-one."
Valara nodded her head. "But ever since you came to Valnr, you turned the tide for all of us; not to mention your friend Hiccup was the one who united us under your Alliance of Midgard- well, except for the dwarves… at least- not yet."
"Aye," responded Olof. "It's obvious enough that only through this unity can we defeat the Dark Legions. We must stand together now, more than ever."
"In that case, we can only hope this Alliance holds together," sighed Astrid. "The elven and dwarven factions from the south aren't… fond of each other. They've had unfriendly relations for centuries, and although both their kings have set aside their differences, I'm not sure how their warriors are faring."
"Really...?" questioned Olof. "Even after all of these centuries, the light elves and dwarves in the south still hate each other? Why can't they bloody get along? That is ridiculous…"
"Very ridiculous," agreed Valara. "When Elendar and Kharinz first met each other- which was after landing on Valnr centuries ago, it was said that their relations were both very distant and neutral, though mainly because both of the kings were very young. However, it was only when the Alsworn invited them to temporarily stay at Aesilgard that both them and their people began to heavily respect one another. Today, the dwarves of Dalgard and the elves of Nordell are best friends."
Astrid sighed, crossing her arms. "And as far as I know, the dwarves of Khaz'ardul and the elves of Lightwood are nowhere close to that kind of relation. It's quite sad, really. Who knew that-"
Astrid's words suddenly ceased. Before another word could be uttered, the doors to the throne room abruptly began to open, slowly swinging inwards. As such, everyone's attention turned towards the doors, and as they opened up to their entirety, Beldrak came walking out; his left arm grasped around his horned helmet, and his blonde hair loosened down the back of his neck.
"I have spoken tae the king," said Beldrak.
"And?" asked Hiccup.
"...He awaits yer audience," the dwarven thane nodded. "In other werds, he'll be seeing ye now."
To that, the guards by the doors slammed their fists against their chests in unison, saluting the group as their attention turned towards the hall ahead of them.
With a gesture of Beldrak's hand, Hiccup, Astrid, Olof, Valara, and Toothless followed the blonde dwarf into the throne room of King Kharinz. What they saw upon entering widened their eyes.
The large stone hall of the king was a unique sight. Statues of dwarven warriors were lined up against the walls, overlooking any and all within the room. Banners of royal blue and maroon fell down from the ceiling, displaying the crest of the white mountain of Dalgard. And the entire chamber was lit up by great braziers, along with a bright beam of light shining through a hole in the roof, aiming directly towards the rune-engraved stone throne on the other side of the hall.
Interestingly enough, the throne room was empty of people, save for one dwarf.
As Hiccup and the group made their way across the stone-tiled floor and closer to the throne, they were able to make out the appearance of the king, sitting in his great seat.
His beard and hair were a pale white; the mountain king was garbed in a heavy set of silver-looking armor outlined with gold; from his crown, decorated with sapphires and rubies, down to his armored boots. There were also other note-worthy things to the group, such as his large cloak, which bore the colors of Dalgard, and the bright glowing runes that were carved atop his spaulders. They were runes similar to the ones Beldrak had engraved on his armor, but were of gold rather than white.
However, what soon caught the group's attention was the paleness of his skin, along with his weak posture. It was clearly worse than what they imagined...
Upon halting in front of the throne, Hiccup, Astrid, Toothless, Beldrak, Valara, and Olof lined up in front of the king. The healers all the while remained behind them, for the conversation between the leaders was none of their importance… yet.
"Lads and lasses," began Beldrak. "Allow me tae introduce tae ye the King of Khaz'dalgard. King Kharinz."
"...Your majesty," said Hiccup, giving the king a respective bow.
Kharinz lifted his head up to face the lad, and slowly readjusted his posture. "Rise, lad... There is no need fer ye tae bow."
Hiccup gave a nod, straightening himself out as he gazed back at the dwarven king.
"It is an honor to meet you, King Kharinz," said the lad. "I've heard a bit about you."
"Aye… and Beldrak has told me quite a bit about ye, Hiccup Haddock," said Kharinz, to which Hiccup began listening closely. "He told me that ye came from a faraway island near the center of Midgard. He told me that ye were the one who uncovered the identities of the Dark Legions' masters. And, he told me that ye're the leader of the Wings of Midgard; the same legendary vikings who we've sung about fer many years now, and who have the power tae save this world from evil."
"That's correct," replied Hiccup. "My friends and I have traveled for weeks across Valnr, and it's all led up to Dalgard. We went from Votunheim to Nordell, and then we crossed the Frel Mountains to get here."
"And I see ye didn't come alone," added Kharinz, glancing back at Olof and Valara. "An Alsworn and Nordellian standin' taegether. I assume what Beldrak said about there being a vanguard was true as well?"
Hiccup gave a nod. "There are five hundred warriors outside the entrance of the Royal Ring. We came here for a reason."
Kharinz let out a sigh, slightly lowering his eyes. "And yet I was not told of this reason… Beldrak?"
"...This is something that I left fer Hiccup here tae tell ye himself, my king," said Beldrak, now eyeing the lad. "It is only appropriate. And if anything, it is more of a warning than a reason."
"A warning…?" asked Kharinz, his eyes falling upon Hiccup.
The lad said nothing at first. He merely tossed a glance at Astrid on his right, who responded with a nod, and then to Toothless on his left, who also gave the same gesture. To that, Hiccup sighed, and gazed back up at King Kharinz.
"...A vast army is marching on Dalgard as we speak," began Hiccup. "After we won the battle at Nordell, we interrogated the warlock who led it, and we found out that one of the Legions' leaders is leading half a hundred thousand warriors towards this city. They intend on burning your realm to ashes, with the rest of Valnr most likely to follow. All I can say is that if you don't assemble your warriors and prepare for a defense, Dalgard won't stand a chance."
There was a long pause. Kharinz merely sat there with a look of shock on his face, mixed with an expression of deep thought. His hands laid on his lap, with his fingers crossed together, and his eyes gazed off into the blue, as if he were seeing the spirits of his ancestors staring back at him with the same look. It was clear that the king was not prepared for such news.
"...Five hundred warriors in yer vanguard, ye say?" asked Kharinz. "And what difference is that going tae make against an army that is more than twice the size of Dalgard's populace?"
"You underestimate the strength of this vanguard, your majesty," said Olof, joining in on the conversation. "It can kill orcs by the hundreds. The Alsworn, the dwarves, and the elves fought back-to-back during the siege of Nordell, and together, we pushed the enemy back…"
"...And then there are also the dragons who aided us. Without them, we would've been stomped to death by the enemy's trolls."
Kharinz rose a brow. The king weakly leaned forward in his throne as his eyes fell upon Toothless, who in turn stared back at the dwarf as he tilted his head curiously.
"Why is he looking at me like that?" he asked.
"Hrmm…" replied the king. "Beldrak did say something about dragons. How many are among ye?"
"Only six," said Hiccup. "Though these dragons aren't what I would call… weapons. As a matter of fact, they won't be the ones to turn the tide of this next battle. If anything, our hopes lie with the Alliance of Midgard."
"The Alliance o' Midgard?" asked Kharinz. "And what's that supposed tae be?
"Exactly what it is," answered Hiccup. "When my friends and I were pulled into this war, we formed an alliance made up of vikings, elves, dwarves, and dragons; races from the corners of Midgard."
"And it's only grown larger," added Astrid. "The Dragonskarn, the Nordellians, and the Alsworn have become part of the Alliance. Chief Ragnar has already rallied the votun, and King Elendar and Arn are still gathering their forces to-"
"Arn?" questioned Kharinz, his eyes suddenly widening at the name. "D'ye mean… Arn Lotharsson? The heir tae the Alsworn?"
"That he does, yer majesty," answered Beldrak. "I fergot tae tell ye, but Hiccup here told me that when he and his friends arrived on Valnr, they were accompanied by Arn. The lad acted as their guide up till Nordell, and the day we began our march across the mountains, he left fer Aesilgard."
The mountain king gave a slight smile, shaking his head as he lifted his eyes to face upwards. "Elendar, my old friend… ye shoulda told me about him…"
After a moment of gazing off, his eyes fell back upon the group.
"So this Alliance of yers," he said. "When will it arrive at Dalgard?"
"We... don't know," replied Hiccup. "However, I can assure you that once Arn is done with gathering his vikings, he's going to march out to look for the Alliance. Once he finds it, he'll lead it to Dalgard and enter the valley from the east."
"Elendar and his elves, however, will come in from the west," added Astrid.
"...Hmm," said Kharinz. "In that case, let's hope these allies of yers arrive on time. With a number as large as fifty thousand, the Dark Legions could fill this entire valley…"
"...And besides," he added, gesturing towards his pale skin. "I don't have the strength tae charge intae battle with my hammer an' axe. If ye haven't noticed, I am quite… ill. I don't know when this sickness will lift, or if this is tae be my fate."
"That is why we brought help," said Valara, causing the king to arch a brow.
It was then that Valara looked over her shoulder, giving off a few words in elvish towards the healers standing behind them. To that, Hiccup and the others immediately understood, and thus they quickly moved off to the side, allowing for the five elves to step forth before the mountain king. At the sight of the white-robed figures, Kharinz felt a warm aura fall upon his pale skin.
The healers then gave a bow to him.
"Greetings, your majesty," said one of the healers. "We are healers from Nordell. We were sent personally by King Elendar to heal you of your illness. He was worried the moment he learned of your state, and he feared for you, thus it is the reason why we are here."
Kharinz gave a sigh. "Beldrak…"
"We would've found out one way or another, King Kharinz," spoke Hiccup. "Beldrak made the right call by telling us of your sickness. Besides, the sooner you get back to your full strength, the better - for both you and your people. Accept Elendar's aid with gratitude… as his friend."
"...Hmph," mumbled the dwarf. "I guess ye're right... Very well. I accept yer aid, healers."
The healer in the center gave a nod. "If you kindly would, we would like to take a glance at your state."
"As ye wish," said the king. "But I'd much prefer tae do it in my chambers. If two of ye would, please help me tae me feet."
To that, two of the elven healers walked towards the throne, approaching Kharinz by his sides as they proceeded to gently grab a hold of his arms. With a light pull, the weak king was up on his feet. From there, he slowly began his way towards the doors of his chamber, which stood to the right of his throne, and the elven healers as such followed along.
"...Kharinz," said Hiccup. "What do you want us to do in the meantime?"
"Ye may explore Dalgard, or get food and sleep," responded the king, halting to a brief stop. "I'll let yer vanguard sleep in the courtyard behind the gates. It's as warm as the rest of the city, and with the open ramparts, ye'll have plenty o' sunlight and fresh air from the outside. Should ye need tae feast, the mead hall outside the Royal Ring is opened tae ye."
"...Beldrak, keep yer Ironbeards with the vanguard tae watch over them. In the meantime, see tae it that our forces are prepared tae face this new threat. Rally the other thanes."
The thane nodded. "As ye command, my king."
…
By Kharinz's offer, the vikings and elves set up their tents and sleeping mats behind the gates, with Beldrak's dwarves accompanying them. True to the king's word, the heat of the city kept them warm and cozy, and the sunlight and air slipping past the ramparts from above kept them refreshed and relaxed.
While the vanguard and their captains went about their business, the young vikings hung around by the stairs that led up to the ramparts, conversing with one another. Yet for the moment, Hiccup's attention was drawn elsewhere.
The lad's eyes gazed towards Toothless and the other dragons in the near distance, all of whom sat in a circle, talking to each other in Dragonese.
"...The doors to the king's hall had shiny runes on it…" said Toothless. "...Like the shield of that viking we met back in the Frel Mountains…"
"...Wow…!" responded Meatlug. "...And what about the inside of it…?"
The Night Fury shook his head. "...Eh, nothing special…"
Hiccup smirked, seemingly enjoying the sight of their dragons talking amongst one another. It reminded him of both himself and the other riders. However, this moment would not last long, as the sound of his friends' voices suddenly snapped him back to their attention, especially Snotlout's.
"No beds?" asked Snotlout, his arms crossed as he leaned back against the wall. "You're telling me that we have to sleep in our mats, as we have for nearly the past WEEK?"
"Be grateful Kharinz is offering us shelter at all," stated Astrid, with her hands against her waist. "How much longer are we going to deal with your complaining? I thought this attitude from you would've ended after leaving the Frel Mountains."
"Well Astrid, as you know, Snotlout is Snotlout," said Ruffnut, inspecting the tip of her spear while sitting atop a nearby barrel. "Asking him to stop complaining is like asking a troll to read a book, like dragon-dung."
"Are you comparing me to a troll!?" questioned Snotlout glaringly.
"Enough," said Hiccup, walking towards the bottom steps as he sat down. "I don't want you guys to start anything; especially you, Snotlout. What in Thor's beard has gotten into you? You weren't like this after you… awoke from your coma."
At first, Snotlout responded with nothing, merely shaking his head as he sighed, putting a few fingers atop his forehead. "I think I need to take a leak."
To that, Snotlout made for the stairs, passing by Hiccup as he made his way up to the ramparts, until he was out of sight and ear-shot from the rest of the group.
The vikings exchanged questioning looks.
"...Now that you mention it, what has gotten into him?" asked Fishlegs.
Hiccup shrugged. "I wish I knew. After leaving the mountains, I expected Snotlout to calm down a little. Instead, he's still acting the same. Like- I understand that he's Snotlout, and that he can be arrogant… but I've never seen him act this arrogant."
"Perhaps the journey is stressing him out," stated Astrid, as she made her way to sit next to Hiccup. "Though then again, that wouldn't make any sense. I mean- during the days of the Edge, Snotlout was all for exploration. We all were; whether it was raining or snowing, or hot or cold."
"Maybe it could be the war that's stressing him out?" asked Heather.
"I don't know," sighed Astrid.
"...Eh, don't sweat it," spoke Tuffnut, grabbing the group's attention. "From how I see it, it's neither of those things that are making Snot all grumpy."
"So then what is?" asked Hiccup.
"Lack of food, and sleep," answered Tuffnut. "The only time Snotlout calmed down a little was when Brann let us stay at his epic hall. Twas the first time in days we got good food and rest. If anything, that's what Snot needs right now. Give him a few days, and he'll be as good as new."
Fishlegs blinked a few times. "You know… that actually sounds about right to me."
"Yeah," nodded Tuffnut, before briefly pausing. "...Wait, it does?"
"Well regardless," spoke Hiccup. "All that matters is that we remain in good condition until the enemy arrives. We're going to be staying here for a while anyways."
"So what do we do in the meantime?" asked Astrid.
"...We wait," responded Hiccup, catching the entire group's gaze. "In a city like this, there is only so much we can do aside from eating and sleeping, such as training our warriors, keeping our weapons sharpened, practicing our spells, and flying our dragons."
"…Flying our dragons?" asked Fishlegs. "You mean…"
"Yup," nodded Hiccup. "I'm granting you all this opportunity to take your dragons for a flight once again, when you're not busy of course. After all, we're not just warriors. We're dragon riders."
Heather sighed. "Another moment of relief."
"Indeed," smiled Hiccup.
"When do we begin?" asked Astrid.
"Tomorrow," the lad replied, before letting out a sigh. "For now however, I'm exhausted. It's almost dusk, and I need to get some food and some rest. And if anything, you guys should too."
"Starting tomorrow, things will change…"