CHAPTER 26

Hiccup was expecting a lot of things. He was expecting ships and a battle on the shores of the island. What he wasn't expecting was half a dozen Vikings on the backs of dragons.

"Hiccup!"

There, riding on the backs of dragons, were Snotlout, the twins, and Fishlegs. They flew to them, hands holding tightly to ropes looped around the dragons.

Hiccup grinned.

Astrid and Camicazi joined them, both riding on the backs of Deadly Nadders. Camicazi's mount squawked in excitement and Hiccup instantly recognized the purple Deadly Nadder. The other dragons drew his attention. The blue Nadder, the Zippleback, the Gronckle, and a red Monstrous Nightmare.

"They're from the ring," he breathed.

"You were right," Astrid said with a grin. "Everything we knew about them was wrong."

"You should join the others," Camicazi said. "The chief's already down there. We can handle this."

The pain in his foot had dulled dramatically, either from the amulet's power flowing through him or from the loss of blood. He knew he was going into shock. It was only a matter of time before he lost consciousness. "No. I need to do this." He put a hand on Toothless' head. "This had to end. Now."

The mountain shook as the Queen emerged from her nest and let out a deafening roar. She shot a blast of fire at the ships.

"Hiccup, what's the plan?" Astrid asked.

"Tell them to evacuate the ships," Toothless said.

"Help evacuate the ships," Hiccup ordered. "Get everyone away from the Queen."

Snotlout gaped at the enormous dragon. "please tell me it's on our side."

"For now. Get everyone a safe distance away. Be ready to fight if the Thornridge breaks through. If he gets free, we're all dead."

"What about you two?"

"We're going to help the Queen."

"Hiccup, you're injured. You can't fight," Astrid said.

"He wanted the amulet, Astrid, and we didn't let him have it. He'll come after us either way. This is our only chance." She hesitated. "Trust me, Astrid."

Astrid nodded. "Be careful. Both of you."

Hiccup smiled. "We will."

Toothless swooped over the beach, scanning for the Thornridge.

Hiccup took in the scene. Almost all the warriors from Berk were there, weapons drawn. One or two caught sight of him and let out a cheer. More joined, raising their weapons to him. Far below, he met his father's eye. Stoick was standing with Gobber, having joined him. His father gazed at him with true, relinquished pride.

Hiccup's throat tightened. They'd come, loaded on their ships and on the backs of dragons. For him. His tribe had come to save him. He grinned.

"Are you ready?" Toothless asked. "There is no turning back."

"Yeah." Hiccup inhaled deeply and let out a slow breath. "Let's go kill a dragon."

Toothless nodded. "Whatever you do, do not let go of the saddle."

He folded his wings and dove for the Thornridge. Hiccup couldn't help but gasp as the air screamed around them. Toothless let loose a shot of plasma that slammed into the Thornridge's side. He shot up and was gone before the Thornridge righted itself.

Hiccup didn't have to imagine what it looked like from the ground. He and all of Berk had seen a Night Fury attack. Even now, one glance toward the Vikings revealed that they were watching. Cheering them on.

A thick stream of fire narrowly missed them as Toothless swerved to the right. Hiccup glanced behind him and felt a spike of fear. "He's right behind us!"

Toothless wove through the sea stacks with blinding speed. Behind them, the Thornridge snarled as he collided with one of them, crumbling stone into the dark waters below. He roared again and Hiccup saw the inside of his mouth.

A plan was forming. He hunched down and, as Toothless expertly swerved around a jutting stone, said, "You've been the Night Fury this entire time, right?"

"Yes," Toothless said. "We've established this."

"Remember the sea stacks? With the Terror? You guys aren't fireproof on the inside, are you?"

There was a pause. "No," Toothless said, catching on, "We're not."

"Good. I have a plan." He told him.

"It's risky."

"It's our only chance. Do you trust me?"

There was no hesitation. "Yes."

At that moment, the Thornridge let loose another blast of fire. Toothless veered out of the way but Hiccup still felt the wave of heat. He looked up at the dark clouds that hung low in the sky. "Alright, Toothless, time to disappear."

Toothless shot upward with neck-breaking speed. With a snarl, the Thornridge shot after them but lost sight of them almost immediately among the black clouds. Toothless inhaled and released two plasma shots at the dragon's side before ducking back into the clouds. The Thornridge whipped around, his eyes narrowing.

Toothless' ears pricked. He glanced down. Hiccup was about to ask what was wrong when he heard it. The sound of enormous wings cut through the clouds, followed by a deafening roar. The Red Death had followed.

Her head burst through the clouds, all six eyes narrowing in on the Thornridge. "I SEE YOU, DECEIVER!"

"How are you still airborne?" the Thornridge demanded. The Queen responded by releasing a thick wreath of fire. The Thornridge dove beneath it and shot a blast into her stomach. The blow knocked her to the side, but she let out a snarl and opened her maw. There was a sucking sound as she pulled the air toward her. Hiccup shouted as they were pulled in but Toothless folded his wings and dove out of the vacuum she'd created.

"Still with me?" Toothless asked.

"Yeah." Hiccup grit his teeth as his vision tilted. "How many shots do you have left?"

"One more."

"Then let's make it count."

Toothless glanced around, searching for the Thornridge. Had the Queen got him? Could they be that lucky?

The Thornridge slammed into him, teeth snapping at his throat. Toothless screeched, clawing at the dragon's belly. Green blood sprayed. Hiccup gripped him tightly, his face pressed against his scales. The Thornridge's claws swiped the air above his head and Toothless felt a spike of terror. He couldn't fight this thing at close range. not with Hiccup. Toothless flared his wings, letting the wind catch them like the sails of a ship, and pulled back. He looped around and shot a plasma blast into the Thornridge's belly.

Hiccup's breathing was laboured. They had to finish this.

He dove.

"You will not get away that easily," the Thornridge snarled. It dove as well, its wings folded at its sides. Behind them, the Red Death had given chase as well. She was flagging, her flight jagged and lethargic. Toothless kept going. The air screamed as he flew faster than he'd ever flown. Down, down.

"Hold, Toothless," Hiccup whispered. "Just a little further."

The clouds broke and the stones of the shore became visible. He fought against every instinct to pull up. They couldn't mess this up. Everything was counting on this. He had to trust Hiccup.

"NOW!" Hiccup shouted.

The Thornridge had opened its mouth to shoot another blast of fire but Toothless was faster. He whipped around and shot his last plasma blast into the dragon's mouth.

The Thornridge screamed as his insides were enveloped in fire. His wings began to disintegrate under the heat and the more he flapped them, the faster they burned. The Red Death opened her mouth and sucked him in with one powerful breath. He screamed as he was pulled in, flames and all, straight into her gas-filled maw. Her teeth snapped closed, and she grinned, satisfied.

There was an ear-splitting hiss and a deafening explosion.

The blast flung them back and Toothless used it to propel them upwards. Pain lanced up his tail and he screeched, losing control and veering dangerously close to the inferno. He flapped his wings harder and forced himself to go higher and higher, using the turbulent air currents to push them to safety.

"Stay with me, Hiccup! Hold on!" He could see the clearing. He flew faster and faster. They were going to make it.

"Toothless!"

The Queen's clubbed tail fell toward them through the smoke. Toothless swerved, but he was too late. The club slammed into them. He felt the weight on his back lighten and he twisted. Hiccup was falling, unconscious.

No.

Toothless folded his wings and dove. The air screamed as he cut through it. The sky itself was on fire but all he could see was Hiccup.

The air screamed as he flew faster than he had ever flown. He pulled Hiccup to his chest and flared his wings, but without a working tail fin, he couldn't steer. He lost control, spinning and spinning at a terrifying speed. The grounds rose up to meet them, and Toothless, in his last effort, curled his wings tightly around his brother.

Just let me save him one last time.

He hit the ground and felt no more.