Again, I offer apologies. This chapter decided to cause a fit. It's more action-filled and action and I don't not get along well. I knew it would take me some time to get it right, hence why I chose to delay its posting. Please enjoy.
"Eret, you and Tuffraider will stay with Kaja and Sunburn."
Eret's eyes narrowed. Old Wrinkly sighed, placing a hand upon Eret's shoulder.
"I know," the elder Viking said, a grave expression making a weather-worn face more worn. "I understand your need to atone," Old Wrinkly continued, "but I don't know what we'll face at Berk. Kaja needs to get that lass back to her tribe." Old Wrinkly grunted as a particularly loud and blistering curse from the loud Bog-Burglar rent the air. "The lass holds no love for the dragons. If something happens, I cannot trust that she'll back Kaja and Sunburn."
Old Wrinkly turned his gaze towards the came set up the night before. Eret's eyes followed. Yngvar ignored the lass who seemed to awake with complaints upon her lips and no sense to silence her tongue. He, instead, turned the dying campfire, ensuring no burning embers remained.
They had stopped at a small waystop island along their way. Most of the Archipelago who had a call to leave their islands and travel this far used such places for rest and restocking fresh water and other supplies. Even from beyond the Archipelago, Eret knew the code laid down by the dominant tribes of the area for all the waystop islands. Keep them safe. Keep them free. Fires could be lit at all but had to be rendered safe and unable to burn the islands.
Brynja and Kaja, also ignoring the girl, checked over the saddles for their dragons and the dragons their husbands rode. Eret still had to contend with holding one of Tuff's back spikes. Dragon saddles could not be bought like other supplies and it took time and access to a forge to make one. Two things they did not have right then.
"I cannot lose her."
Eret's gaze snapped back towards Old Wrinkly. He found the man staring at Kaja and Kaja alone. Eret also heard the fear and devotion in the older man's voice. Eret found no frame of reference. Eret's father never showed such to his mother before the woman died. The senior Dragon Trapper never spoke with such about Eret's mother, before or after her death. Eret's father's voice held a thundering command and edge that would slice deep.
Eret blinked as realization raced through him. Old Wrinkly just let a part of himself be revealed and Eret could well be believe the man let few, if any, see it. Eret also saw the trust the man held out. Old Wrinkly did not know Eret and if the storm had not ripped Eret's ship apart it was highly likely they would have been enemies. Still, the man was asking Eret to guard someone the man valued more than a ship's weight in gold.
Eret reached up, gripping Old Wrinkly's forearm. The man turned towards him.
"I will not leave her side."
Sharpshot dropped before the Foreverwing stopped talking. Hiccup sprang into Toothless saddle. The dragon leapt into the air before any could blink. Hiccup had his spyglass out, glare trained towards the harbor before Toothless gained hovering height.
"Who be it?!" Stoick bellowed.
"Lava-louts! They're at the docks!"
"Go. We'll catch ye up."
Hiccup looked down. "Come."
Almost every adult dragon rose, even those not of Berk's nest. The Foreverwing and the Bewilderbeast backed away from the cliff. Dove. Hiccup saw the adult dragons who knew to stay shift closer to the humans. Some of the adults would join the fight later, as they came with the Vikings who followed Stoick. Others would remain, guarding the young and those unable to fight.
"Fly," Hiccup commanded, sparing one glance to find his queen astride Moondust's back.
A sea of scales, claws, and fury followed him.
The Riders' dragons met them just over the small field before the expansive forest near to Phelgma's farm. Stormfly all but ordered Moondust to drop Astrid onto her back. Hiccup, with a glance to ensure the transfer happened safely, gestured the way they came. While he wanted the dragons to have their saddles, the Riders had chosen to let them go to the cove without them. They did not have the time to gather the saddles from the forge and Hiccup knew he and the others with him would need back up. The Lava-louts had been at the docks. By the time they got to Berk, the invaders would be up the cliff face and cresting into the lower level's plaza.
"Vast Meadows," Hiccup told the Riders' dragons.
They tipped their heads, banking towards the northwest. Hookfang's father, who had accompanied his son and daughter-in-law to the cove, banked with them. Hiccup noted the two Nightmares from Hookfang's uncle's nest, who had stayed due to their injuries and only just been cleared by Gothi for normal activities, remained with the others hovering around Hiccup though. He shoved his curiosity about that to the back of his mind. He had invaders to oust out of his nest first.
"Alpha."
Gyda's voice caused Hiccup to shift in Toothless' saddle. He stared at the mage, eyes narrowed slightly though he made sure to not be too annoyed by her. He did not want any of his dragons to think he was mad at her, not as keyed up as he and they were now. She had every right to speak, but he still hated that his friends saw the need to address him by his title, even when it was needed. He also wanted to confront the Lava-louts and did not want delays.
"They know the dragons are coming," Gyda said. She smirked. "They do not know we are coming."
Hiccup glanced at his queen finding Astrid smirking as well. Hiccup turned to the other dragons.
"Go," he commanded, knowing that he was ordering his dragon father and the Changewing king and queen alongside the others. He still did not know how to feel about that and knew he had little time to consider it. "Do not engage unless they attack you. Try to keep them in the lower level of the village and keep their focus for as long as you can."
Many cries in the Old Tongue erupted from the dragons before they all banked towards the village. Toothless, Stormfly, Shadowfire, Nightwing, and Nightsong landed. Their riders dismounted. Stormfly led all but Toothless after the other dragons. Hiccup, Astrid, Gyda, Toothless, Nuffink, and Zephyr raced past Phelgma's farm and across the connecting bridge.
Nightsong danced sideways. The man shifted to follow. Zephyr's form flicked into sight behind him. She gripped his head. Yanked back. The man stumbled. His spear jerked skyward. His poorly made helmet shifted, exposing a weakness between it and the top of the breastplate. Her dagger found the slit. Bit deep. She heard the rattle in his breathing.
She felt a brush along her back. A clang and a startled curse announced Nuffink's sword breaking another warrior's weapon. A screech from Nightwing and Silverwing accompanied a growl from Nuffink. A thud and noise announcing the warrior's death followed.
Zephyr let the man she held fall. He glared at her. Hand gripped his axe handle. Found no strength in his limbs. His mouth moved. No words spewed forth. Zephyr reversed her grip. Red-stained sliver flashed down. The man slumped, never to move again. Zephyr shifted her target. No other enemy paid her or her flock any attention.
"You still scare me."
Zephyr looked up. Found Nuffink cleaning his sword. Nightwing and Silverwing stared at her, expressions mirroring Nuffink's. Nightsong, though, smirked. Zephyr snorted at her brother before taking a moment to check the progress of the others. Gyda, more attuned to fighting with her magic, seemed to alternate between fire and lightning. Frostfire, her Ice Terror son, flittered around the mage's head, spearing any he could with his ice breath. The shadow covering them announced where Gyda's other son was. The large Tall-singer could not join his flock on the ground but he kept watch overhead. He, and the female Tall-singer that seemed forever at his side, kept none from sneaking up on Gyda and the Ice Terror. They also kept roaring. An act that served to unnerve the invaders and prompting the other hovering dragons to join the Tall-singers.
The other Riders had joined the fight just as Hiccup ordered the invading chief to leave and the fool chose instead to charge. They backed each other as they faced their opponents. The lighter twins used their agility and spears to keep the four from being attacked on all sides. The two bigger boys used their strength and rather shiny weapons to ensure their foes were no longer any threats to anyone ever again. Their dragons flew a tight pattern overhead, keeping guard. They also shot as they could or joined Gyda's son and his mate in roaring at the invaders.
Hiccup and Astrid fought close beside Toothless. Hiccup dodged his opponent's attack. A feat Zephyr could honestly say she did not know her nephew could do. She knew those had who lost limbs, especially a leg, and knew those held little to no balance. It seemed Hiccup had learned a form of fighting Zephyr had never seen and which allowed him to hold his own.
His shield more often than not blocked his opponent's blade. His sword, also shiny like the other Rider's weapons, rendered his foe's shield useless and kept up a flurry of movement that kept the invader's attention. Toothless moved like black water and spun. The invader flipped backwards. Zephyr watched Astrid's axe drop. The hand holding the invader's sword rolled. A spear of ice followed, finding its mark. The foe moved no more. A volley of Nadder spikes and precise purple fire from above kept any other warrior from pressing their luck.
As they made their way into the village to confront the invaders, Nightsong shouted down to Zephyr the count of vessels at the docks and the count of the foes they faced. Five ships docked but only forty of invaders made it up the switch-backing walkways. Most of the force stayed in the ships. It confused Zephyr but the fight began and she no time to ponder it fully.
Even with the number advantage none of the Lava-louts knew the village. None could find ambush points and places to corner an opponent. None had snarling dragons overhead. None had Gronckles and Terrors who were small enough to aid in the fight. None had Changewings shifting in and out of sight and allowing the few defenders moments to keep from being overwhelmed.
A bellowing roar had everyone jerking and looking towards the upper levels of the village. A wave of furious and battle tested Vikings and the dragons who accompanied them crested over the edge. The invaders were swept away by the deluge.
The young girl dropped before Sunburn could fully put her paws on the ground. She raced for the docks. The fight they flew over seemed to have started in the lower level of the village, given the damage all around. Kaja could well believe the Lava-louts realized their error when both Vikings and dragons rose to defend their nest and tried to flee. It seemed none on Berk were going to allow that.
Kaja glanced towards Eret as he and Tuffraider landed beside Sunburn. She knew her husband asked the man and his dragon to provide an escort to ensure her safety due to the Bog-Burglar lass declaring she would never fight alongside a dragon, or dragon lover. Kaja also could see the ex-trapper wanted to fight. Knew he needed to fight. She knew what he felt. She felt it, even if she had never once harmed the dragons before her husband became brother to a Night Fury.
"Go," she said.
Eret stared at her. She pointed towards the docks where shouts and clangs showed the retreating Lava-louts were still putting up a rather fierce fight. Eret's gaze followed her gesture then turned back to her.
"I understand," she said. "Go."
Eret grunted, crossing his arms. He made no move to mount Tuffraider though. Kaja tipped her head. Instead of joining the fighting herself, something she knew her husband and his battle brother would, she turned to those left when the fighting shifted to the docks. She found Bucket and Mulch watching over several invaders who survived. Other Berkians helped the two men, but Kaja could see they all needed healing. She reached into Sunburn's saddlebag and pulled her out her satchel. She knelt next to a man she had been told was named Bjorn, reaching for his arm and beginning to tend the gash there. The shadow at her side proved Eret still remained.
Kaja smiled. The ex-Trapper proved he held an honor most would not. She knew he would do well in the new reality he found himself in.
The fool chief gained his flagship, six of his remaining warriors crashing onto the deck with him. The chief gave a sharp gesture. Slaves raced to obey. A loud roar caused them to freeze. Stoick watched with glee as the Lava-louts turned towards the sea and found a wall of scales and teeth. The Foreverwing and Bewilderbeast bracket a sizeable group of water and land dragons as they formed a blockade and prevent any invader from escaping.
The Lava-lout chief turned back to the island and glared at Hiccup. Though the island belonged to Stoick in the eyes of the Vikings, it belonged to Hiccup in the eyes of the dragons and the Lava-louts had violated the laws the dragons held sacred. Stoick knew he could not take his son's place in facing the invaders and dealing out their punishment, even if he wanted to. The dragons, while understanding Stoick's place in their alpha's life, would not take well to the man ordering that same alpha to back down.
"So da slave who believes himself da heir can fight," the fool chief spat. "Ye be prized in da pits, boy."
A roar of human and dragon voices answered him. Stoick saw the man jerk but still seemed to think he held some upper hand and would win. Stoick's eyes narrowed and his grip upon his sword tightened.
"You were banned from Berk," Hiccup stated.
Even if it would be inappropriate, given the circumstances, Stoick smiled below his beard. His boy did not seem phased by the Lava-lout's words even though Stoick knew Hiccup's belief about slavery and his hatred of the chief who almost branded him.
"You still attacked my nest," Hiccup continued.
Stoick watched the Lava-lout's chief's eyes widen. He allowed his smile to show then. Not many could stand against the power in Hiccup's voice when those dragon souls decided to play.
"I give this offer once," Hiccup stated. "Any who wish to be spared, leap into the water. You will not be harmed."
Stoick saw the slaves twitch. Those on the other ships glanced towards the water. Those on the flagship did not seem to know what to do. The Lava-lout chief snarled.
"Move 'n ye die!" the man growled.
He made a gesture and one burly warrior who had kept to his chief's side the entire battle moved, sword raised.
"Gyda."
Multiple lightning strikes flashed. Found their mark upon the warrior's hand and leg. The warrior bellowed in pain. His sword crashed against the deck.
"You are not in command anymore," Hiccup snarled. "The offer still stands."
The slaves wasted no moment. They dove. Four of the remaining warriors also leapt over the ship's railing. Hiccup gestured. His Riders and many of Berk's seasoned warriors thundered across the docks, weapons drawn. Stoick heard Snotlout and his father giving separate but similar commands to the different groups of people they faced. The slaves treaded water while the warriors held their swords up. Meatlug and three other Gronckles gently but quickly retrieved them. Stoick saw the slaves and the warriors flinch but true to Hiccup's word, none were harmed.
Stoick's gaze turned back to the confrontation between his son and the fool chief. The burly warrior Gyda struck still lay upon the deck, alternating between holding his leg and his other hand. The other warrior who had not leapt into the water still held his sword but seemed to realize the battle was lost. Stoick watched as the same realization dawned upon the Lava-lout chief.
"Young man," the man began, his voice holding a level of respect Stoick knew the man did not possess. "Ye be reas'nable. I be seein' dat. Ye 'ave me. Wot be yer terms? I can pay ye. Ye can keep dem slaves and warriors as part of me payment. Wot say ye?"
"Those people are not yours to give away," Hiccup snarled.
"Dey be mine, fool boy," the man snarled, dropping the respect. "Bought 'n paid for. Conquered 'n trained. Ye can 'ave'm as payment fer da attack and iffen ye let me go, I be payin' ye more."
"You misunderstand," Hiccup growled, the draconic power in his voice causing the hairs on the back of even Stoick's neck to rise. "A dead man cannot give anything away."
Hiccup's hand slashed the air. Multi-colored fire rain down.
Atomic R4y: My apologies for not acknowledging your reviews last time. I was pressed for time. I have loved reading all your reviews from the other stories and into this one. I am glad you have caught up and am impressed at the speed in which you did. I hope you enjoy the rest as much as you did the previous.