IT'S HERE! I know everyone's been waiting so long for it, and thank you to those who have stuck around this long. We're seeing this series to the end.

All 6 seasons of RTTE (divided into 5 parts), the 2nd and 3rd films, the Homecoming special, and even The Serpent's Heir from the comics (I have to; there's a guy who literally thinks he's a dragon stuck in a human's body. I mean, come on, it was made for this series). Can't wait to see y'all's reactions. It's gonna be great.

So, without any further ado, Let's get started!


NOTE: If you are hoping for anything more than a K+ rating, I'm sorry, I'm just not comfortable with that. I can promise drama and angst, but no gore or explicit content.


PART 1—The Great Beyond


Dragon Eye of the Beholder:

A roar echoed through the sea stacks, mist coating the ocean, and less than a second later the black form of a Night Fury emerged, Toothless speeding through the obstacles before him with ease. Aiding in his flight atop his back was Hiccup, a young woman now at the ripe age of eighteen, and although Toothless looked the same, if a little bigger, Hiccup looked almost completely different. Though still slim and lean, she was much taller and just a bit curvier. Her hair was as wild as ever, but now there were two small braids on the right. Her dress was no longer green, but red, tan-brown armor over top, and the skirt was plated much like Astrid's, minus the spikes. She also wore brown leather bracers and shoulder guards now, her left bracer extending over the top of her hand, and her right pauldron designed with Toothless' silhouette. The only thing that could be said was the same were her green eyes, as big and bright as ever, as well as her scales, her wings, tail, and ears larger to accompany her new height, but nevertheless the same.

"Okay bud", Hiccup said as they steadied their flight. "Let's try the new move. You ready?"

"Let's do it!" Toothless agreed with enthusiasm.

Diving over a sea stack and towards the ocean, Toothless then pulled up towards the sky, Hiccup cheering with the thrill as they scaled up in a ninety degree angle.

"That's it, Toothless, you got it!" she cheered as Toothless climbed higher and higher, Hiccup beginning to laugh with joy, but then the sound of something unhooking reached her ears. "Oh no", was all she got out before falling back from the saddle.

"Not again", Toothless rumbled, before his tail closed and he was forced down as well. When he reached Hiccup, the halfling diving to the ocean with her head to the water and feet and tail in the air, he dove the same beside her.

"Hey", she said nonchalantly.

"Hey", Toothless said back.

"So, just plummet, or…?" Hiccup joked, and with a chuckle all his own, Toothless extended his wings, parachuting up a moment, vastly unstable. That's when Hiccup extended her own wings and flew up above Toothless, before dropping back in the saddle as if they had done it a million times.

"I've really got to fix that", Hiccup said, though it was more to herself.

"You think?" Toothless still commented. The two then flew back towards the island and over the village.

000

This is Berk…about three years later give or take. Yeah, since the war with the Berserkers, there hasn't been much to talk about. But that doesn't mean changes haven't happened. In fact, Berk has changed a lot. We're in the process of building new dragon stables in the mountain over our village, which may I say will look amazing when finished, the torches we once used to signal dragon attacks are now dragon feeding stations, and there's also a new windmill, all made by my design with the help of Gobber of course.

But Berk isn't the only one who's changed either. We have as well. Snotlout works at the armory now. Gobber gave him the title of Official Weapons Tester.

Seeing Snotlout get into a catapult near the armory, Hiccup and Toothless hovered for a moment to watch. Launching himself, her cousin yelled, "It works!" Then he started falling, and what awaited him wasn't a welcoming sight.

The twins, to absolutely no one's surprise, have decided to dedicate their lives to Loki, the god of pranks.

Atop the mound of pillows placed to cushion his plummet, the twins had pushed a cart filled with sharp weapons, all pointed up and ready to skewer Snotlout alive.

Lucky us.

Snotlout screamed. "Hookfang! Hookfang!" he squealed, when Hookfang swooped in and caught him just in time. "You just have to cut it that close, don't you!" he yelled, before turning his fury to the twins. "There will be repercussions for this! Repercussions!"

With a shake of her head, the twins high-fiving below, Hiccup and Toothless flew on, passing Gothi's hut. There, Astrid and Gothi stood on the patio outside, a table with books and bottles of different kinds scattered about with Astrid working on mixing something together.

Astrid eventually decided she wanted to be a healer to both humans and dragons. She's been training with Gothi the passed year, and it's, well…

"Ow!" Astrid yelped when Gothi's staff hit the top of her head, dropping the bottle in her hand. "Okay, willow-bark then honey, not honey then willow-bark. What's even the difference? OW!"

just how you'd expect. And then there's Fishlegs, who has really found his calling: Teaching the children of Berk the history of dragons.

Near the Great Hall was Fishlegs and Meatlug, children sitting on her back as they walked and Fishlegs talked.

"And, if you look closely at the walls of the Great Hall, you'll still see puncture marks where the Speed Stingers attacked", he said.

" "Whoa" ", the children awed.

"Interesting fact about these dragons— O-oohoohoo!" he suddenly interrupted himself as her father and Gobber came walking down the steps. "Oh, look kids, we're in luck! Here come two of Berk's most famous heroes."

"Heroes", her father chuckled. "I've got some chiefing to do, but I guess I could spare a moment—"

"Hiccup, and the amazing Toothless!" Fishlegs announced just as Hiccup and Toothless flew overhead, Toothless deciding to show off with a flip.

"—to…introduce my daughter and her Night Fury, haha", her father said, and Hiccup waved to the kids, before Toothless swept over the children's heads, the children cheering as the duo continued their flight through the village.

As for me and Aric…

"Hey, there you are", Hiccup smiled when she noticed the Midnight Nadder catching up behind Toothless.

"Hiccup, I've been chasing you since the armory", Aric pointed out, still in the Hofferson blue and brown motif much like his sister.

"Well, I thought we'd try out the far north today", Hiccup went on anyway.

"Uh…Can we talk about something first?"

"Yeah, sure. If you can catch me! Haha!" Toothless sped off and Aric shook his head, a small smile replacing his previous frown.

000

There were just a couple of rock formations ahead amid a lot of ocean, but as Hiccup looked through her spyglass, it didn't seem to deter her enthusiasm.

"You know, I'm just gonna say it. I have really good feeling about today, Aric", she said, before lowering the spyglass.

"You say that every time we go searching for new dragons", Aric teased with a smile, but then sighed. "Hiccup, while we have a second, I wanted to talk to you about―"

"Oh-oh-oh, wait! Hold that thought! Look!" she tossed the spyglass to him. "You see it? There's definitely some movement up ahead. Long neck, large head? Behind that rock formation."

"Yeah, uh, anyway―" Aric groaned when Hiccup sped off again. He'd been trying to tell her something important for the passed few days now, and time was running out to say it. He thought today would be the day, but seeing Hiccup like this, it always made it harder to tell her. He had Shadowstar follow.

"This is it, Toothless. A new species of dragon, bud!" he could hear Hiccup rambling to Toothless, but when she rounded the formation, her smile fell. Rounding the formation himself, Aric saw the twins on Barf and Belch, the dragon's necks crossed.

" "Loki'd!" " the twins shouted.

"You totally thought Barch was a new dragon", Tuffnut said, their dragon's heads untangling.

"Oh, come on! Did not!" Hiccup exclaimed, before rumbling something to Toothless and leaving.

"Wow. Who yacked in her mutton", Tuffnut said, and Aric just glared at the two, before chasing after Hiccup.

His expression turned solemn. They couldn't go on like this. As soon as she landed down somewhere, he was going to tell her.

'I'm sorry, Hiccup.'

000

Landing on a sea stack, Hiccup dismounted and sat at the edge, looking out to the horizon. It was something she did often now when she needed time to think. To try to make her feel better, Toothless pushed her arm up with his head, practically forcing her to pet him. It made Hiccup smile a bit, but not much. She didn't really smile much these days.

How long had it been since they spotted a new dragon? How long had they been searching with nothing to show for it? Hiccup felt like she was losing hope, but she also knew she couldn't. If she did, then what was left? Hearing Shadowstar land behind her, Aric soon came to stand beside her.

"Hiccup, those guys are mutton-heads", he started, continuing to stand rather than sit. "But you have to admit, we've visited every island, every sea stack, and every rock in the archipelago twice. And we haven't spotted a new dragon in a long time."

"This can't be all there is... There has to be something more out there", she looked out, almost as if she could see it.

"What if there isn't, Hiccup? What if we're done? What if the search is over."

"It can't be", she tried not to sound pleading as she looked up to him. 'It just can't'.

"Well", Aric's arms crossed, looking away slightly, "It's over for me."

Hiccup felt her eyes crease, some type of distress coming over her.

"I've been trying to tell you", he looked back to her. "Shadowstar and me… We're joining the Berk Guard!"

"...Oh", Hiccup said. It was really all she could think to say, until she forced herself to continue. "That's great. I'm happy for you guys", she forced a smile, but it didn't last long, turning away.

It wasn't that she wasn't happy for Aric. It'd been his dream to join the Berk Guard some day. How couldn't she be happy he achieved it? But, it also meant the Dragon Riders were truly no more. Everyone was so busy with their own things now; Aric was the last person she had. Now he'd be leaving too.

"Look, maybe you should give some thought to what's next for you and Toothless", Aric proposed, but Hiccup didn't answer. Probably figuring she needed time alone, he stepped away, and flew off on Shadowstar.

Hiccup knew exactly what was next for her, but she didn't want it to be. It wasn't something she really felt she was ready for. But she also knew there was nowhere left to run from it. Maybe…maybe it was time. Fear clenched her heart and mind at that statement, but there was nothing more she could do.

"Nowhere left to hide", she muttered.

That night, as Hiccup stood within the academy, a place where so many memories between her and her friends would always live, Hiccup walked up to the pen that used to be Shadowstar's, and closed it.

"I guess it's just you and me from now on, bud", she turned towards him.

"You and me", Toothless cooed.

"Always", Hiccup cooed back.

000

As was normal for the duo, the next day Bucket and Mulch were out in their fishing boat catching a load of fish in the net. As Bucket was trying to pull the net up, though, something was keeping him from being able to lift it.

"What's the problem, Bucket?" Mulch asked.

"I'm not sure, Mulch. I-I can't raise the net. Something's pulling at it", Bucket said, then gasped. "Do you think?"

That's when something green began to rise from the sea.

" "Sea monster!" "

Water spayed at them, the two knocked back, when two annoying voices shouted, " "Loki'd, hahaha!" "

Fear quickly turned into annoyance, until something laying on the Zippleback's back, right behind Tuffnut, caught their eye.

"Johann?" Bucket questioned.

"Help. Me", the man strained, but it didn't appear Tuffnut noticed as of yet.

"Oh man, you should've seen the looks on your faces; priceless", he just bragged on about his and his sister's latest prank.

" "Full Loki" " the two said in unison.

"Bet you never saw a full Loki coming, am I right, Johann?" That's when it hit. "Johann?!" he turned in shock, Johann just spitting water out in a stream.

000

Hiccup and Toothless had gone on their normal flight around the island, including some tricks out by the sea stacks, but as midday came, and she didn't see any purpose in going out 'exploring' anymore, Hiccup just decided to go home. She didn't think her father would be there, but when she walked in, she neglected the possibility of him coming home for lunch.

"Hiccup, what are you doing home so early?" he asked, and Hiccup paused in opening the door for just a moment. Why couldn't the gods just let her procrastinate a little longer? Finally, she continued to push the door and step inside.

"Oh, I just…uh…um…wanted to spend some time…with my dear old dad", Hiccup smiled, hoping she was convincing, though judging by her father's expression, he knew something was off. "Yeah, you know", she stepped forward and leaned on a nearby pillar by the table, trying to act casual, "We never get to talk anymore, so…"

Her father just stared at her with a blank expression. "…Alright, what is it?" he finally asked.

"What's what, 'What is it'? Ca-can't a daughter want to spend some quality time with her father?"

"Not this one; not usually at least. So, let's hear it."

Sighing in defeat―she just knew he'd see right through her―Hiccup sat down, but she suddenly felt very small. It was time. Everyone else had moved on, and now it was her turn. But, did she really want to? She knew she didn't, but did she really have a choice? What else was really left for her? It was either follow her destiny willingly, or try to keep running from it. One used to be so much easier than the other. Why did it have to become so hard? Why did things have to change? Looking back to Toothless, he gave her an encouraging nod, and with another sigh, Hiccup felt she might as well get it over with.

"Did you know Aric just joined the Berk guard?" she decided to start.

"I heard that. Good for him", her dad took a drink from his cup.

"And the other riders have got their own things going on", Hiccup's fingers toyed with the edges of her skirt, her tail curling around one of the legs of the chair.

"What are you saying, hun?" he placed the cup down, a puzzled look on his face.

"I'm saying…maybe…maybe it's time for me to…to…"

Anxiety began to build. She couldn't say it. 'Just tell him', her mind screamed, but the words just wouldn't come.

Suddenly the door slammed open, and Hiccup felt as though she could breathe again. Turning in her chair, she saw the twins holding Johann up by his arms, the man looking as if he'd collapse any moment.

"Johann", her father immediately stood and moved to the twins holding him. "What happened to ya?"

"Dagur", he said, and that had Hiccup standing.

"What about Dagur?" she asked, her ears pinning down, though from fear or anger she wasn't sure.

"He's out. Last night. And he's more Berserk than ever. And, from the way he was talking, Hiccup, you're number one on his revenge list."

Johann passed out shortly after, but the information he gave was more than enough for Hiccup to gather the riders into the academy and make a plan of action. It was kind of thrilling in a way. It almost felt like old times.

Hiccup stood in front of a large map hanging on the wall, a pointer in her hand. "Alright, all we got out of Johann before he passed out was this", she started before her friends. "Dagur escaped from Outcast Island by commandeering his ship. He threw Johann overboard…about here", she directed to the approximate spot. It was near the island, but far away from it as well. Just far enough so Johann couldn't just swim to shore. How he made it all the way to Berk was another question entirely, but not one that was very important.

"So let me get this straight", Snotlout brought her back to the group. "What you're saying is, Dagur could be anywhere by now."

"Well, technically, yes", Hiccup admitted rather sheepishly.

"Ah, great. So, that just leaves, I don't know, let me think about this… The entire OCEAN TO SEARCH! No, thank you", he crossed his arms.

"Miss Hiccup."

"Johann, you're awake", Hiccup brightened at the trader walking towards them.

"And feeling much better, thank you for asking. More importantly, I have more than a strong suspension where our nefarious foe may be heading", Johann gestured to the map, and Hiccup noticed he was gesturing towards the fog bank on the outer reaches of the archipelago.

"Outside the archipelago?" Hiccup wondered.

"No, just inside the fog bank in our outer group of islands."

"We've never been out that far", she muttered.

"When Dagur commandeered my precious ship, he also came into possession of a very important map, one that leads to a graveyard of ships hidden in that fog bank", Johann continued.

"Wow, that's the first place I'd go", Snotlout said with nothing but sarcasm.

"If I may be allowed to finish―"

"Johann, last time we allowed you to finish, we ended up on Breakneck Bog. So no, no finishing."

"Enough", Hiccup butt in. "What's so special about the graveyard and why would he go there?"

"Ah-ha, well you see―"

"The short version, please", Hiccup interrupted, and Johann's smile fell.

"It's where I store all my treasures and wares."

The group's mouths dropped.

"Wow. Concise, to the point, who knew he had it in him?" Tuffnut said.

"Which reminds me of the first time I was labeled as concise. He was a young man, very ugly actually―"

"Johann", Hiccup interrupted.

"Yes?"

"Focus", she drawled. "Is there anything else?"

"As a matter of fact, there is one ship you must avoid at all costs. It's called… The Reaper", Johann's voice cracked. "Riddled with booby traps stem to stern, barely made it out with my life the only time I dared venture aboard, oo-hoo, wow!"

"Okay, Toothless, let's go. Unless, of course, any of you can make time out of your busy schedules to capture a dangerous maniac?"

"You had me at maniac", Tuffnut said, and a smile graced Hiccup's face.

000

The Dragon Riders took off, and it felt amazing. As the sun was setting and they flew within the pink clouds, Hiccup couldn't shake the smile from her face.

"This is great, huh bud? Seems like forever since we all flew as a group. Let's see how rusty they are", she smirked. "V formation!" she raised her wings into a 'V', and the riders made the formation with ease.

"Not bad", Hiccup approved. "Diamond formation!" she then shouted, making a diamond with her arms, and the riders moved their dragons again to make it.

"How rusty does this gal think we are?" Tuffnut questioned, when Fishlegs made his own comment.

"Uh guys, little tight on the diamond, aren't we?" he strained, trapped between Meatlug's back and Barch's stomach.

As her friends disassembled the formation, Hiccup chuckled. "Just like old times."

"Five thousand pounds of flaming muscle coming through!" Snotlout and Hookfang rushed ahead, Hookfang's body lit on fire.

"Maybe a little too much", Toothless said.

000

When they made it to the ship graveyard, it was late into the night. It only made the place seem creepier than it would have been in the day. Mist coated the surface of the ocean, broken and abandoned ships scattered everywhere, and many not from the Archipelago.

"I knew it", Hiccup muttered. "I knew there was more."

"Some of these ships… I-I've never seen anything like them before", Aric sounded just as astonished, when Hiccup continued.

"Okay, everybody fan out", she said. "If you see any trace of Dagur, send a signal."

Per Hiccup's order, the riders fanned out and searched from the sky.

As Astrid and Stormfly were navigating through the wreckage, Stormfly was hesitant. It was like she was spooked by some of these ships, and Astrid could understand why. This place was creepy, and some of the ships, with how they were partially sunken or broken apart, were even creepier.

Stormfly squawked nervously, and Astrid could feel Stormfly about to pull back from going any further into the graveyard, but she quickly reassured her dragon with a calming hand. "It's alright Stormfly", she pet a spot at the back of her head. "They can't hurt you. It's okay."

Fishlegs and Meatlug weren't doing any better in terms of nervousness. They were both freaked out, Fishlegs bent and huddled over Meatlug. "Don't be nervous, girl", he tried to calm her, as well as himself, but it did little good. "We don't want you to―"

Meatlug barfed a lava rock, too late to ease her queasy stomach.

"―do that", he finished, before nearly puking himself.

On the other side of the spectrum, Snotlout wasn't the least bit nervous. "Hookfang", he chuckled. "These guys were awful sailors, haha―oof", he was suddenly left hanging on a mast, Hookfang continuing forward.

"Little help here, Hookfang? Hey! I saw that look! Come back here! What did we talk about?!"

Hiccup and Toothless flew fearless as well, except when they passed by one ship, shivers seeming to run down Hiccup's spine. Something about it just…unnerved her. Its sails had two orange colored swords angled in a 'V' shape. It floated almost completely intact, spare the torn sails, and there were strange green cages scattered along the deck.

"That must be the Reaper", Hiccup rumbled.

After a good hour, it was clear Dagur wasn't there yet, so they regrouped on one of the ships within the yard.

"Looks like we got here first. Now what?" Aric questioned.

"We wait", Hiccup said.

"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. For how long?" Fishlegs asked. "This fog really gives Meatlug the willies."

"Yeah, Stormfly's not too happy being here either, Hiccup", Astrid agreed as she pet and kept Stormfly calm. "I'm honestly not sure how much longer I can keep her from freaking out. Something about this place really has her spooked."

"They do have a point, you know", Aric said. "We can't stay here forever."

"Well we can't just leave Johann's treasures here either. Dagur will steal them", Hiccup argued.

"And use the profits to build a new armada", Aric nodded.

"Not if we steal them first", Ruffnut said.

"That is the dumbest idea I've ever heard. I hear by disown you!" Tuffnut exclaimed, making a show of turning away.

"Actually, I sort of like it", Hiccup said instead.

"Welcome back to the family."

"Here's the plan. We search the ships, gather up Johann's treasure, and take it back to Berk. But keep your eyes open for Dagur; he could show up at any moment", she finished, when suddenly an awful and loud hissing noise sounded.

"What is that?!" Astrid exclaimed.

"Eh, has Dagur's voice changed?" Tuffnut wondered.

Hiccup ran to a large hole in the side of the ship to look. Her ears shot up. "Eels! Everybody, get to your dragons before they get spooked and take off!"

It was already too late. All the dragons spare Toothless jumped and flew off the ship in a panic. Through the hole, one of the giant eels jumped on deck, and Snotlout screamed.

Hiccup ran to where Toothless stood defensively, unable to take off like the others, not that he would have.

"Hey, calm down, bud; it's only a couple of eels", Hiccup said nonchalantly as she mounted. "Really big, screaming, mean eels", her words got more nervous.

Toothless took off, but the others were stuck on the ship, and the eels were starting to pull the ship down. The ship was tilting forward, and the riders had nothing to hold onto. They all began to slide down.

Snotlout was lucky enough to grab onto the steering oar, though. "Fishlegs, grab my foot!" he called, and as Fishlegs passed, he did, though Snotlout strained. "Ooh, you ate a full breakfast." Astrid quickly followed, grabbing Fishlegs' foot to stop her fall, before then catching Ruffnut, who then caught Tuffnut, and then Tuff's hand catching Aric.

"We're gonna live!" Tuffnut cheered, until the boat suddenly jolted and Tuffnut's grip on Aric faltered.

"Tuff!" Aric shouted as he was suddenly dislodged.

"Aric!" Astrid screamed in fear as her brother fell to the eels.

"Aric, no!" Hiccup screamed at the same time, urging Toothless forward and into a dive.

"Most of us are gonna live!" Tuffnut amended his previous shout.

"Hiccup!" Aric's voice carried, but was then cut off as he plunged into the ocean, eels quickly surrounding him. He took his ax and swung it, hoping to fight them off as long as he could, when a plasma blast suddenly cut through the water and drove the eels off. Turning around, Hiccup and Toothless were diving towards him. He swam up, took Hiccup's hand, and Toothless shot out of the water back into the sky, Aric on his back behind Hiccup.

The eels driven away by Toothless' blast, the ship teetered back to it's original position, everyone else okay. Toothless landed back on the ship, and Aric got off.

"Thanks, Hiccup", he said as he did, somewhat out of breath.

"Pardon me", Snotlout then began, "Does anyone else think that Johann could have warned us about, I don't know, THE GIANT SCREEMING EELS?!"

"Snotlout, would you relax? The dragons will be back", Hiccup told him. "In the meantime, we stick with the plan. We find Johann's treasure. Quietly", she finished in a whisper to emphasize her point, but just to defy her, instead of simply walking away, Snotlout stomped away. Hiccup sighed, but then turned around to the ship in the distance, her mind contemplating.

"Why are you staring at that ship?" Aric asked, his tone suggesting he knew exactly why.

"Because", Hiccup answered anyway, "I'm thinking of checking it out."

"The Reaper. The ship Johann warned us about?"

"Exactly. A ship covered with booby-traps from stem to stern. I'm thinking, what is on there they don't want people to find?"

There was no way Aric could stop her, so he didn't bother. As he went off with Astrid, Hiccup left with Toothless for the Reaper. They landed, and rather wary, Hiccup took her shield from where it was strapped on the side of Toothless' saddle.

"This boat is definitely not from the Archipelago", Hiccup said as they walked along the deck. "These carvings", she gestured to the cages, "the design on the sail, I've never seen anything like this. And this metal", she stopped at one of the cages, the green colored metal so strange.

Toothless sniffed at it, but then suddenly growled.

"Bud? What wrong?" Hiccup wondered.

"I...don't know; the scent is too old. But I don't like it", he growled, but there was a contemplation to his tone, uncertain.

"Well, try to calm down, okay? It's just an empty cage", Hiccup assured, until something suddenly flew at them from the inside, startling them both. Seeing it was only a bird, though, they calmed with a sigh.

As the bird flew off, Toothless quickly turned to Hiccup with a deadpanned stare.

"Okay, n-now it's an empty cage", she corrected.

000

Fishlegs gasped at the sight before him within one ship's compartment below deck. Scrolls, books, charts, maps, he was practically bursting at the seams with the treasure of knowledge before him. He squealed with excitement, thinking if only Meatlug could have been there.

Meanwhile, Snotlout was sifting through another ship, searching through each barrel and crate, all the while singing, "I'm gonna be rich! I'm gonna be rich! Rich, rich, rich, rich, rich! Well hello, Mr. Ornate box", he came upon a gold and emerald encrusted chest, "What treasures do you hold?" he asked, before thrusting it open, diving inside, and finding―

"Hair?!" he found himself holding a large clump of blond braided hair. "Ew. Who keeps hair in a box? There's gotta be more!" he threw the hair aside and dug deeper, but it was just more hair. "Ugh!" he threw his head back in defeat. "Man, what a rip off."

It was only then he noticed the portrait behind the chest. It was of two men, each with long luscious locks. He looked back to the hair in his hands. "Or is it?"

"I'm Stoick the Vast", he imitated, taking two of the thick strands and putting them to his chin like a beard. "Hiccup, you're such a disappointment! Why can't you be more like Snotlout?!"

"Hey, I'm Ruffnut", he took two thinner strands and lifted them to the sides of his head. "Or am I Tuffnut? Who can tell", he threw them away as he laughed.

"I'm―" he popped up with a large heap on his head. "Oh, actually, this is kind of nice."

"Jewels! Jewels!" Tuffnut exclaimed, the ship they were checking out containing chests of gems and golden items.

"You know what we're going to do", Tuffnut went on as he scooped a handful, "We're bringing them back. For the family. Mom will be so happy. Wait, but how are we gonna carry all these back to Berk?" he turned to his sister, and Ruffnut smiled, revealing the jewels she had stuffed into her mouth.

Tuffnut gasped. "Great idea, sis! I can't believe I didn't think about that. Here, I'm gonna do it too", he said, but then shoved the jewels in Ruff's mouth. "I'm also gonna put jewels in your mouth. Yeah, I gotta keep mine empty so I can talk."

Tuffnut shoved three more handfuls, when he stopped for a moment.

"Yup, keep it coming, keep it coming", Ruffnut said, though her mouth was full, and Tuffnut continued with two more handfuls.

000

"Come on, bud, don't you want to see what's down below?" Hiccup urged, the two before a hatch that would take them below deck.

"No", Toothless growled. "But for you", he then crooned, "I'll go."

"Rather come with me than let me go on my own, huh?" Hiccup smirked knowingly. She bent to open the hatch, but suddenly something snapped, and she was quickly being pulled to the side of the ship by a rope.

Toothless ran and shot a plasma blast after her, cutting the rope, and Hiccup was able to stop herself at the rail before sliding overboard. Clearly, that rope and weight at the end was meant to drag her through the railing and into the sea.

"Okay, nobody goes to this much trouble unless there's something on this boat that they don't want found", Hiccup said, and that settled it. They were finding said thing. With a final huff from Toothless, Hiccup threw the hatch open, quickly drawing up her shield just in case. When nothing happened, they started on their way down. "Watch your step, bud", she said before Toothless came down behind her, but just as she said that, a bear-trap clamped down on her left leg. "Whoa!" she yelped. Lucky enough, it was the metal leg.

"Careful!" Toothless worried, but Hiccup just shrugged and unclamped the trap.

"One of the benefits of a metal leg I suppose", she said, and continued on.

Walking down the dark hallway, nothing but their night vision and the soft moonlight from the opened hatch to guide them, they came to a room lined with more of those green metal bars. It looked like a prison hold.

'Was this some kind of prison transport ship?' Hiccup wondered, when Toothless suddenly crooned, mourning coating his tone.

"Now I know what that scent was", he said, his head and body lowered to the ground. Looking up to where he was before the nearest cage, Hiccup silently gasped. Dragon bones. Toothless had been smelling the scent of dead dragons the entire time, and judging by the bones left in each cage surrounding them, the scent was indeed old, just as Toothless had said. That's why Hiccup couldn't smell it. But Toothless could.

Hiccup knelt to her brother, and pet his head in a show of comfort. "I'm so sorry you had to see this, Toothless", she crooned sadly. Just the sight of all this made Hiccup sick to her stomach. Whoever commanded this ship was no friend of dragons; that much Hiccup was certain now.

"Let's just finish this", Toothless said, and with that they stood, and began to make their way forward, but then Hiccup stepped on the wrong floorboard and triggered yet another trap.

Projectiles shot, and as Hiccup shielded herself, Toothless doubly did so with his wing, the wooden spears bouncing off. They ran, dodging more coming at them as they did. Hiccup leaped behind stacks of barrels and raised her shield, Toothless right behind her as they waited it out. Once the last projectile was shot, Hiccup's shield lowered.

Letting out a breath she looked to Toothless with a lopsided smile. "I'll be more careful from now on; promise."

As Hiccup stood, Toothless responded with a slight growl, clearly annoyed.

"Watch your step, Toothless", he mocked behind her back as they continued.

"I heard that", Hiccup rumbled back.

They stopped at a corner. Rounding it, it seemed to lead to what was clearly the commander's quarters. The door was sign enough, what with the ornate design, dragon imagery and skulls stretching from top to bottom.

"Stay close, bud", Hiccup said, and they ventured towards it; however, the door was closed, and there was no telling what kinds of booby-traps she could spring should she just open it. And that was if it wasn't locked. She turned to Toothless. "Okay, here's the plan―"

Toothless stopped her right there with a plasma blast to the door.

"―I like yours better", she said instead, and Toothless laughed.

They entered the room with caution, a dragon's head hanging off the top of the chair, armor sitting up in it behind a desk. There was a sword at its side, and it looked as if the…person? Or, at least what was once a person, was holding onto some type of object on the desk, their skeleton hand clutched atop it on a small pedestal.

"What…is this thing?" Hiccup wondered. It was clearly something important, but was unlike anything Hiccup had seen before. It was some type of cylindrical device, almost like a spyglass, only not. It was beautifully designed, and had a dragon at one end of it, it's mouth opened as if the dragon was holding onto something inside the outer shell. Hiccup stepped closer, trying to get a better look.

"Whatever it is, it can't be good for dragons", Toothless said from the door.

"Exactly what I was thinking, bud. Which means we can't leave it for Dagur."

Kneeling down, Hiccup peeled the skeletal hand off the object. "Eueeeee", she grimaced the whole way through.

'So gross!'

It was off, though, so now came the second hard part. Lifting the object off the pedestal. With two hands on either side, Hiccup lifted it at once. She waited for some kind of booby-trap to trip, but there was nothing.

"Huh", the tension in her shoulders fell. "Well, that wasn't too― Giant ax!" she screeched when the sharp blade of an ax suddenly came down on the table. "Toothless, run!"

Running out the door, spikes shot up and blocked their way out the corridor, but Toothless scooped Hiccup up and leaped over them.

"Wa-atch out, Too-oo-thless!" Hiccup was being jostled around by the Night Fury. Back to the hallway of cages, the wood projectiles shot at them again, Hiccup and Toothless shielding themselves with their wings as they bolted for the hatch.

Making it out, and Hiccup slamming the hatch door closed, it was already morning, but that was small compared to what was standing in front of them at that moment. Or, rather who.

"Hiccup!" Dagur greeted with a wide smile. He had no armor, and his clothes were tattered and torn, but there was still the Berserker belt buckle sitting firmly around his waist. His deranged face was littered with scars, including where a somewhat patchy beard had been growing. His red hair appeared as if he'd been pulling it out, wild like fire atop his head. Two Berserker soldiers stood at either side, crossbows aimed directly at her and Toothless.

"Did you miss me?" he continued in a mocking tone. "'Cause I sure missed you! Everyday for three years", his hands went to the sides of his head, "I thought about you."

Moving to the side, Dagur revealed her friends trapped inside one of the green metal cages, Aric at the front.

"Aric!" Hiccup couldn't stop herself from exclaiming.

"And you too, Mr. Night Fury", Dagur continued as Toothless lowly growled, ready to shoot as soon as Hiccup told him.

Standing from her knelt position, Hiccup walked over the hatch door to the other side, not wanting to appear scared or weak to Dagur. Toothless stayed where he was, prepared to step in if things went south.

"Sorry, Hiccup", Aric said as she did. "He got the jump on us while we were searching―"

"Uh, QUIET!" Dagur screamed at him. "Can't you see my sister and I are having a moment?"

"I am not your sister, and we are definitely not having a moment", Hiccup glared.

"Oh, well, I was. Look at you! All grown up. And quite the catch I'd wager, hmm-hmm?" Dagur insinuated, Hiccup just glaring holes through his skull.

"Dagur, what do you want?" she asked, her voice flat.

"Duh, he wants the jewels", Snotlout answered, long strands of blond hair coming down from under his helmet.

"He's not getting my family's jewels", Tuffnut said. "No way! And I'll protect them at all costs! Also, what is with that hair?"

"Ah-ha, it's royal hair, I'll have you know", Snotlout extravagantly brushed the strands back.

"Haven't gotten rid of the Greek chorus, I see", Dagur said in relation to her friends―not that he respected that―as Hiccup tried hiding the new device she just retrieved behind her back.

"Anyway, yes, I'll take the jewels. His too", Dagur continued, and the Berserker on the right punched Ruffnut's gut, forcing her to spit out the jewels she'd been hiding in her mouth.

"Watch it pal!" Ruffnut shouted, the Berserker just laughing at her, to which Ruff retaliated by spitting one last gem into his opened mouth, the man now choking.

"Oops", Dagur lightly winced. "Thought that was the guy. Never can tell with those two." The choking Berserker's lodged gem shot out into Dagur's face, though he didn't seem to care as he turned back to Hiccup. "And I'll also take whatever it is you're hiding behind your back", he said with amusement, as if he found it cute Hiccup thought she could hide something from him. "Come on, hand it over like a good girl", he extended his hand out, the Berserkers aiming their crossbows. "Siblings share, you know."

No other choice at the moment, Hiccup handed it over. "You know, you're not gonna get very far with that thing, right", she said in tandem.

"Oh boy, here we go! Must we always do the same dance, Hiccup, you and I?" Dagur pulled her into a close side hug, a small snarl escaping Hiccup. "Not that you're not a fabulous dancer", he continued in a hushed tone.

"Get your paws off her!" Toothless growled loudly.

The two Berserkers on board reacted, their crossbows aiming for Toothless now. Escaping Dagur's hold, Hiccup went to him, kneeling to his level and placing a grounding hand to his head.

"Easy, bud. Not yet", she said.

"That's right, Mr. Night Fury", Dagur taunted. "Today is, not the day. But it's coming! And soon. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got people to see, army to build, revenge to plot, oh, so much to do and so little time! Isn't this exciting, Hiccup? You―you must have been so bored over the last three years."

"Yeah, not enough explosions", Tuffnut seemed to agree, much to Hiccup's chargin.

"Alas", Dagur continued, taking the opportunity of her knelt position to place his hands to her shoulders, "my time here has come to an end." His hands moved to her arms, Hiccup remembering once again how Dagur's understanding of personal space was zero to none.

"Farewell for now, sister", he emphasized as he brought her even closer, before suddenly letting her go and turning away, the force throwing her back a bit.

Hiccup watched as he and his men jumped down to their own ship and began to sail away, the device and their chance of catching Dagur sailing along with him, but then quickly turned back towards the cage holding her friends. She'd only begun to work on opening it, when they protested.

"Forget about us", Aric told her, "Go after him!"

"What are you waiting for?!" Snotlout followed, but Hiccup was still unsure. She'd wanted to free her friends first, then go after Dagur.

"Are you guys sure you'll be okay?" Hiccup checked.

"We're fine. Go!" Aric said, and Hiccup listened.

000

It wasn't long after they set sail from the large boat that Hiccup and her Night Fury came flying after them, just as Dagur knew she would.

"Still predictable, aren't you sister", he muttered aloud with a wistful sigh.

The few men he had with him brought the armed catapult forth, and on Dagur's mark, they fired.

It missed by a mile, yet Dagur's smile never wavered.

000

"You missed, brother", Hiccup yelled, shouting the term like it was poison. Toothless had barely had to swerve from the boulder Dagur shot at them.

"Hiccup", he said in a mockingly disappointed tone, "you should know by now; I never miss!"

That's when Hiccup realized, and her eyes widened and ears shot up. "Oh NO!" was all she could scream before the boulder hit the Reaper and her friends began screaming in panic, the boat tipped forward and the ship sinking fast.

"What's it going to be, Hiccup?!" Dagur asked. "Catch me, save your friends?! Ooh-hoo-hoo, tough one. Glad I'm not in your shoe!" Dagur laughed maniacally, Hiccup and Toothless quite literally hovering between two choices. "Hahahaha! Isn't this exciting, folks?!" Dagur went on, nearly crazed as he did. "What will she choose, ladies and gentlemen! Saving her friends, or capturing her mortal enemy! Her brother!"

Hiccup's eyes narrowed with that statement, growling beneath her breath, "You're not my brother", and having Toothless turn back for the Reaper. As typical or predictable it might have seemed to Dagur, she didn't care. They could always nab the device and catch Dagur later. Her friends needed her and Toothless now.

Landing on the tilted mast, Hiccup yelled over her friends. "Move back from the door!" she told them, then Toothless landed before the cage, the ship slanted heavily. Hiccup hopped off, crouched low with her wings out to keep her steady upon the tilting surface.

"Toothless, now, plasma blast!" Hiccup roared, and Toothless fired, but the bolt did nothing but make the latch red hot. Hiccup leaped closer to the cage in shock.

"Dragon proof bars?!" Fishlegs exclaimed as Hiccup stood and touched the odd metal herself. "How fascinating", he added.

"Whoever built this ship really knew what they were doing", Hiccup added herself, fascinated by the ingenuity, but also terrified given what else she knew about this ship.

The boat suddenly lurched, and Hiccup grabbed onto the bars to keep from getting thrown. Her friends, on the other hand, were being tossed around like a bunch of rag dolls.

"Oh, you know what would be more fascinating?" Snotlout said as he grabbed onto the bars of the cage door. "Getting us out of here!"

"Toothless, try again!" Hiccup shouted, and Toothless fired, and fired, but to no avail. "We need more fire power. Guys, dragon calls!" she said, and everyone began calling. Hiccup and Toothless even gave their calls as well, hoping the others could hear the distress. But then things got worse, their calls having gained unwanted attention from eels which began to encroach on and attack the ship.

"Why did it have to be eels?!" Snotlout exclaimed as Toothless leaped on top of the cage and shot at the slimy things. Meanwhile, Hiccup tried to pry the cage door open herself.

"Ugh, come on…" she tried with everything she had, but the latch would not budge.

"Hiccup, behind you!" Astrid suddenly yelled, and Hiccup turned around to find an eel launching straight at her.

"Ah!" It grabbed her metal leg, and Hiccup fell back, the only thing keeping her from being dragged down to the sea her grip on the cage door. "Toothless!"

With one shot, the eel was thrown off and Hiccup sighed in relief. "Thanks, bud", she trilled, then untied her prosthetic leg, having an idea. Getting up on one foot, her wings out to help keep her balance, Hiccup used her prosthetic like a crowbar. With Snotlout's help from inside, Hiccup pulling on the outside, they tried prying the door open, but were quickly interrupted when the ship suddenly lurched again and their footing quickly disappeared, the ship's angle increased from an angle of seventy degrees to a near ninety degrees.

Hiccup's footing gone, she was forced to abandon the cage and instead helplessly hover beside it, her prosthetic still stuck in the door now upside-down. The riders were left either hanging from the bars at the back of the cage, or lying stuck at the door.

"Toothless!" Hiccup looked to him in distress, no longer knowing what to do. She couldn't try opening the door, as her friends would just fall to their doom, but she couldn't do nothing either. There was no telling how much longer they could wait for the other dragons to show up, and the ship was sinking fast, but Toothless was just as at a loss.

It was then that those hanging at the back of the cage lost their hold and the door gave way from the weight, everyone falling out. Fishlegs and Snotlout kept hold on the door, while Snotlout had his other hand holding onto the leg of Ruffnut, who had Aric, who had Astrid, who had Tuffnut, Tuffnut having hold of Hiccup's prosthetic.

"Guys! Are you okay?!" Hiccup exclaimed.

"Fantastic!" Snotlout shouted, dripping with sarcasm.

"Yeah, that was great", Tuffnut followed, though actually genuine as he hung upside-down. Eels then suddenly jumped at him, Tuff using Hiccup's leg to hit them away, until Hiccup, able to do something now, went into action.

Sweeping passed and yanking her leg from Tuffnut, she got onto Toothless and began taking everyone to safety. It began with Tuffnut, Astrid letting go of Tuffnut's leg to let him simply fall onto Toothless' back. Astrid followed next behind him, and Hiccup and Toothless took the two to a nearby rock. The process repeated with the rest, each in pairs, until finally everyone was safe.

"That was way too close", Fishlegs said as Hiccup and Toothless landed with him and Snotlout.

Just then was when their dragons could be seen flying towards them in the distance.

"Oh, so now you decide to show up", Tuffnut sassed to Barf and Belch when they reached them, but now with their dragons all there, the riders were able to get back into the sky away from eels and sinking ships.

"Hiccup, what are we doing?" Aric then questioned, and all eyes turned to her wondering the same thing.

"You guys go back to Berk", Hiccup decided. "I'm going after Dagur. Whatever that cylinder looking thing is, I know one thing for sure. It shouldn't be in his hands."

Separating from the group, the duo went in search.

000

Deep within the fog, upon what was once Johann's ship, Dagur looked at his new cylindrical device. It must have been something quite special if Hiccup had been trying to hide it from him. Then again, it wasn't as if she tried very hard, but still.

"I've never seen anything quite like this", he spoke aloud as he marveled at the strange device, lifting it above his eye level and turning it this way and that.

"Me neither", Savage spoke, and flammable irritation immediately bloomed within Dagur. Savage, along with the two Beserkers he had with him, were those Dagur had freed in the midst of his escape from the Outcast prison. Sure, he could have left them like the rest that were imprisoned after the war, Berserker and Outcast alike, but Dagur knew he needed followers if he were to build his army back. So, with the time he'd had, he helped the three buffoons he could―and saw the most 'value' in―escape too. There were times, though, that Dagur regretted doing so.

"What do you suppose it is?" Savage asked.

"DON'T", Dagur rounded on the man, "ask ridiculous questions, Savage. Just know this: it's mine now. All mine!" Dagur giggled a bit, before coming back to the task at hand.

000

It didn't take Hiccup and Toothless long to find Dagur. With one sonic-roar from Hiccup, they quickly pinpointed his location within the graveyard. It wasn't long before Dagur's voice guided them to him.

"DON'T. Ask ridiculous questions, Savage…" he was reprimanding, sounding as crazy as usual. She found it interesting Savage was with him. Had Dagur let him out, or had Savage freed himself and decided it was just best to follow Dagur?

"Now, what exactly is it that you do?" they caught a visual of Dagur through the fog, the man seemingly talking to the device in his hand.

"Tell Dagur, now, that's it, don't be afraid, tell daddy Dagur."

As they got closer, and Dagur hadn't noticed them yet, too distracted with…whatever it was he was doing, Hiccup readied herself. "Get ready, bud", she rumbled.

"Uh, Dagur", Savage noticed them, but Hiccup smirked at how instead of looking up and listening to Savage, Dagur was blowing up on him.

"ARG! WHAT NOW?! ANOTHER STUPID QUESTION?!" he raised the device into the air like he was about to use it to beat Savage senseless. Hiccup could have laughed. He was just making this too easy.

"More of an observation", Savage said, but by then it was too late.

Toothless flew in low, and as they were about to sweep over Dagur, he did a barrel roll that allowed Hiccup to quickly snatch the device out of Dagur's hand, Toothless rising into the air as he finished the spin.

"Thank you kindly", Hiccup said in Dagur's moment of shock, then Toothless shot away before he could do anything about it. Even as Dagur roared with fury and attempted to shoot at them with arrows, they were too fast and out of reach too quickly.

000

"AH!" Dagur threw one of his pathetic Berserkers overboard, the other jumping himself with the single look Dagur gave him. "See what you did?!" he rounded on Savage, the man lucky he still had use of him. "You distracted me", he still stalked towards him threateningly, grabbing a hold of his collar and shaking him back and forth with each word he spoke. "And now, my pretty, cylindrical, mysterious, object... Is gone. GOOD FOR YOU, HICCUP!" he looked back. "GOOD! FOR! YOU!" He still hadn't let go of Savage.

"BUT I GOT ALL THE GOLD! YOU HEAR ME?! ALL. THE. GOLD", Dagur threw Savage down with that last word, laughing in Hiccup's long distance face, until he suddenly stopped.

"You know you can never have nice things around that girl", he said simply, stepping on Savage as he walked off.

000

When they arrived back to Berk, the riders all gathered in the forge hoping Gobber could get the strange device Hiccup stole open. He was trying his best, pulling and tugging at it with all his strength, but it didn't appear to be budging.

"Have you ever seen anything like this Dragon Eye before?" Hiccup asked.

"Dragon Eye?" Tuffnut questioned. "Hey, how do you know it's called a Dragon Eye?"

"Because I named it", Hiccup answered simply. It was during the flight back; Toothless thought it sounded nice.

"Whoa whoa, aren't we supposed to vote on stuff like that?!" Snotlout exclaimed, hands to his hips.

"Fine. All in favor, say Dragon Eye."

" " "Dragon Eye." " "

"...Just wanted to make sure we voted", Snotlout shrugged.

"Can you open it, Gobber?" Aric wondered, the man really struggling.

Gobber laughed. "Can I open it… I once opened a five hundred year old giant clam at the bottom of the ocean with my bare hook! Can I open it, ha! I think it's going to be… huh."

Something began ticking, and then a dart shot out of the back, hitting Tuffnut square in the chest.

"Eugh, what is that?" Tuffnut stared down at it. "It looks like a―" And down he went, Ruffnut laughing at his expense.

"Well that was…something. Maybe―" Gobber began pulling at a different angle.

"Gobber, maybe you shouldn't―" Hiccup tried, starting to get worried.

"Trust me. I know what I'm―"

Gas suddenly spewed out from the Dragon Eye, everyone covering their noses and mouths from it. All except Tuffnut, who just got up.

"It's alright, I'm okay", he rose. "I got hit with something, but now―nope, scratch that." Tuffnut went down again, though this time, was left spasming and twitching on the ground.

"Yeah, I'm thinking we should probably go get Gothi", Hiccup said, and off to Gothi they went.

It wasn't long before she shoved a bottle of something down Tuffnut's throat. The spasming stopped, but then something else replaced it as he began to try and scratch his teeth.

"My teeth are itching. My-my teeth are itchy", he complained.

Gothi scribbled in the dirt, and with Gobber beside her, he read. "She says, that's a good sign. Means it's working."

"Eh, thank you, Gothi. We really appreciate this", Hiccup said, though Gothi suddenly seemed distracted, staring oddly at the Dragon Eye Gobber was still trying to figure out. She abruptly turned from it, clutching her staff tightly. "Gothi, are you okay? What is it?" Hiccup asked.

Raising her left arm, Gothi showed her a scar from what appeared to have been a bite. She then pulled away and walked off down the long stairway, almost...haunted.

"Her scar", Hiccup said. "It matches the key hole."

"Yeah, and it looked like a dragon bite to me", Fishlegs said.

"Oh it is", Gobber jumped in. "But, she doesn't like to talk about it."

"She doesn't like to talk about anything", Astrid said, her arms crossed.

"Oh. That's why she writes in the dirt with her stick. I thought that was just like her thing", Tuffnut said.

"Yeah, like Snotlout being a woman repellent", Ruffnut said.

"Maybe we could use the stick to itch the teeth."

"Where are you going?!" Gobber then exclaimed as he noticed Hiccup and Fishlegs starting to leave.

"After her", Hiccup answered. "We have to find out what kind of dragon made that scar. It could be the key to opening the Dragon Eye."

"Hold on. I have ways of making her talk, heh. Well, scribble anyway."

"Say what now?" Astrid wondered, a brow raised.

By nightfall, Gobber had a large pot of soup prepared. They took it up to Gothi, and the woman looked to be wavering already.

"It's the ol' bat's weakness", Gobber whispered. "Isn't it? Come on", Gobber waved the steam in her direction, "You know you can't resist Gobber's home made yak noodle soup."

It wasn't long before the pot was completely empty.

"Whoa-hoho, she downed that like a yak in a heatwave", Fishlegs said. "That makes sense, right?"

When Gothi settled back down in her chair, Hiccup approached. "Now, tell me about this bite mark", she said carefully.

Taking her staff, Gothi began.

"I was a turkey neck…" Gobber read, Gothi promptly hitting him on the head with her staff. "Ow. Teenager. Sorry." Gothi continued. "I had a longing to climb Glacier Island to find pure glacier water known for it's healing properties, so I went…with two…vegetables…OW! Vikings. Sorry, eh-heh, I'm a bit rusty."

"We had only been at the summit for a few hours, when we were hit by a terrible snowstorm. That's when it attacked. It was vicious. Relentless. And impossible to see in the whiteout. The Snow Wraith. When it bit me, I had only had my staff to fight against it. I was thrown into a snowbank soon after, and that was the last I saw of it. I'll never know why it didn't finish me off that day. I left knowing only one thing; that I never wanted to smooch that dragon again."

"Smooch tha―? AH! SEE! Never wanted to see it again! You know your drawing ain't what it used to be, old woman. Eh-heh, but your swing, strong as ever!" Gobber quickly amended.

"Gothi, a tooth from the Snow Wraith is the key to unlocking the Dragon Eye!" Hiccup said excitedly. "You have to help us find it."

Gothi drew into the dirt once more, a scowl on her face. She looked to Gobber.

"I-I can't say that to her", his arms raised before him. "She's the Chief's daughter."

With an inaudible sigh, Gothi wiped it away with her foot and tried again, this time calmer.

"She says, no way she's ever going back. Besides, Berk needs her. It's true; she's the best healer we've got."

"I-I can cover for you", Astrid stepped up, an eager grin plastered on her face as she raised her hand.

Gothi didn't seem convinced.

"You remember the viciousness of the Snow Wraith; I get that", Hiccup jumped in. "But, you also remember how it was to be my age. To want to explore, to… need, to see what else is out there", her eyes became far away as she spoke, "To get answers to questions you haven't even asked yet."

Taking the Dragon Eye from the ground, Hiccup held it out to her. "This will help me do all of that. But only…only if you help me unlock it."

Gothi stared at her for a long while, Hiccup giving a gentle smile in encouragement, when Gothi's face became one of determination.

She wrote in the dirt, and looked to Astrid.

"She says, Astrid, I'll leave you to cover for me in my absence. But… Gobber's in charge. Huh?"

"Gobber?! You can't be serious", Astrid complained. With an unwavering look in her direction, she was, and Astrid was non too happy about it.

Hiccup, Fishlegs, and Gothi left, and after a moment of pure silence, Astrid looked to Gobber.

"So... About that soup."

000

The following morning, the Riders minus Astrid had Glacier Island in their sights, and upon near arrival, Hiccup could see why it was called that.

"Look at the size of that island", she marveled. It looked like a giant glacier; maybe it was.

"The Book of Dragons mentions the Snow Wraith, but doesn't have any information on it. Can you believe this?" Fishlegs exclaimed. "A brand new dragon! It's been so long I'd forgotten what this feeling is, oohoohoo!" He paused at the looks he was getting. "Sorry, excited about the new dragon."

"You mean the dragon that singlehandedly wiped out Gothi's entire search party", Aric reminded.

"That would be correct… So worth the long flight!"

Aric shook his head in amusement.

"Speak for yourself!" Snotlout exclaimed. "Your neck hair isn't covered in old lady drool!" Behind him was Gothi, fast asleep with her head rested on his back.

At last, they made it to the island, and set down on the ice and snow covered ground. Snotlout offered Gothi a hand to help her off Hookfang, but as she reached for it, Snotlout pulled it away, effectively making Gothi fall flat into the snow.

"Oh, pfff, yak hands. I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" Snotlout laughed.

As Gothi got up, she hooked the head of her staff behind Snotlout's leg, pulling his feet straight out from under him. Snotlout fell back, revenge achieved.

"Fair enough!"

"You know, we should bring her along more often", Aric smirked, trying to contain his laughter.

"Okay", Hiccup said, wanting to get back on task. "Gothi? What now?"

Gothi stepped forward, staring out into the island before them, when she turned back around and shrugged.

"Great", Snotlout griped, wiping the snow from his clothes. "She's got nothing. Someone else is wearing that bag of bones home. She's all knees and elbows."

Gothi scowled in Snotlout's direction, when snow began to fall and wind began to pick up, a snow storm suddenly on the rise.

"Can we please do something?" Snotlout shivered, just as everyone else as they fought the wind pushing at them. "My mouth is starting to freeze shut."

"Well, then we should work fast to find this Snow Wraith", Hiccup answered. "Because we're not leaving until we do."

"Let's split up so we can cover more ground", Aric suggested.

"Good idea. Dragon call if you come across anything."

"Quick, Hookfang, before she sees us―ah!" Snotlout exclaimed, seeing Gothi already on Hookfang's back and patting the seat in front of her. "Hey", Snotlout faked a smile. "I was just talking about you."

With the riders mounted, they split in search.

000

Astrid could not believe this. The one time she gets to show that old bat what she's truly made of, and she puts Gobber of all people in charge. She'd been working under Gothi for over a year. What did he know of medicine?

As a line began to form and she and Gobber were preparing for their first patient, Astrid turned to Gobber skeptically.

"Gobber, are you sure you know what to do?"

"Ah, 'course I do, lass", Gobber said nonchalantly. "I've watched Gothi work so many times, I know this place like the back of my hand!" he raised his hook, before realizing and lifting his hand instead.

Astrid was hardly convinced.

"Besides, can't be too hard, right? Listen, diagnose, heal", he read from a book. "Just like riding your first wild yak", he threw it behind him, the book consequently falling from the tall platform. She'd have to get that later with Stormfly. "You never forget that first kick." Gobber sat on the stool behind him, suddenly breaking it, then kicking the pieces off the platform as well. "I'll have to heal that later", he said, then pulled a second stool forward and sat on that, thankfully not breaking it.

Why Gothi left him in charge, Astrid would never know, but that didn't mean she was gonna let this opportunity go to waste. No matter how hard Gobber unintentionally made it, she was going to show her stuff.

"Okay", Astrid said, "Whose ever first, come on up!" she exclaimed, and a limping Viking using the butt of an ax as a crutch came up.

"Magnus!" Gobber exclaimed joyfully. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Tuh, problem?! My leg is caught in an old dragon trap, Gobber!"

"Oh, yes, 'course it is", Gobber stood, the man's leg indeed trapped in a small snapper trap. "Ah, I remember my first leg break", he whisked the man's crutch out from under his arm, before kneeling to the trap.

"Ah, Gobber, wait", Astrid tried, but Gobber was already prying the trap open from Magnus' leg and throwing some potion over the wound.

"It burns! Ah-hah-hah, it burns!"

"Ah, that just means it's working", Gobber's eyes were closed in satisfaction.

"No, it means his leg is on fire!" Astrid exclaimed, throwing a bucket of water onto it just as Gobber opened his eyes and noticed the fire he'd started. She gave a sigh when the fire was out, Magnus only in more pain now. "Now let's get that leg fixed up", she said, and helped Magnus back up.

"And while you deal with that, I'll help the next sick Viking."

"Oh no, Gobber, you really don't have to―"

"Next!" Gobber hollered, and the next Viking came.

"This is going to be a long day", Astrid muttered.

000

Nothing. Hours passing, Hiccup and Toothless searched and searched, but there was nothing; not even a scale. The infrequent snowstorms didn't help either.

"Maybe the others found something", Toothless said, and he was right. They'd been searching for long enough. It was time to head back and call the others.

"Hopefully they did", Hiccup said, and Toothless turned around.

000

"Anyone find anything?" Hiccup asked when everyone gathered back.

"All we found were some scattered yak bones", Ruffnut said.

"Uh, I-I didn't see anything, but I had this weird feeling that something was watching me", Fishlegs said, hunched a bit.

"Oh! I had a weird feeling too!" Snotlout exclaimed. "Like this old lady was stuck at my back."

Gothi's poked her head over Snotlout's shoulder, and Tuffnut screamed.

"Ah! Two heads!"

Barf and Belch gave him an unhappy look.

"Oh, oh, sorry guys", Tuffnut apologized when he realized. "I mean, on you two it works. I've seen it before, I'm used to it..."

Snow and wind picked up, and Aric looked up at the dark clouds forming overhead.

"A large storm is coming; bigger than before. Hiccup, maybe we should get out of here", he suggested.

"No", Hiccup argued. "We should dig in here and wait for the Snow Wraith to show itself. Remember, it likes to attack when you can't see it."

"Great", Meatlug groaned.

"Just great", Fishlegs followed.

000

As Astrid was treating a little boy with a broken arm―there was absolutely no way she was letting Gobber try treating children―Gobber was with a man with a thorn in his foot. She rolled her eyes as Gobber was inspecting it with a small spyglass.

"Uh-huh, I see… My official diagnosis is", he rose, "a thorn."

"Yes! I told you that already!" the man shouted in obvious anger.

"Not to worry, I can remove it right quick."

"The thorn?" the man asked happily.

"The foot."

The boy, the man, and Astrid's eyes all widened. The moment Gobber turned around, Astrid left the boy on the table, ran to the man with a set of tweezers, and quickly removed the thorn.

"It'll hurt for a few days, but you'll be fine", she told him in a whisper. "Now go", she pointed, and the man fled as fast as a Speed Stinger.

"Ah-ha!" Gobber exclaimed, holding an ax. "This is what my mother used to do for me―" he turned around, and found the man gone and Astrid back at the table with the boy.

"Guess he decided to take care of it himself", Astrid said, then gave the boy a discreet wink.

000

The wind howled as it pushed against them, hands instinctively raised and eyes squinted against the snow.

"Use your dragons as extra protection from the wind!" Hiccup shouted, their wings their only protection at the moment. They had their tents, but they were virtually useless, as the one behind Hiccup just suddenly imploded and blew away. The Snow Wraith was here.

Out of fear, Fishlegs ducked under the tent near him, muttering to himself, but that shelter was attacked too, Fishlegs left screaming in panic.

"Hold your ground! And fire back!"

"Fire back where?! We can't see it!" Aric shouted.

Another tent went, looking to have been destroyed by nothing but the storm. Aric was right. They couldn't fight in this storm.

"Take cover!" Hiccup decided instead.

They ran, and a shot fired behind them, Snotlout caught in the blast. Snotlout went flying into a snowbank, while an avalanche of snow piled on top of Hiccup and Toothless. Digging their way to where they had air, Hiccup finally got a good look at the Snow Wraith and awed at the sight.

He was a large completely white dragon with a flat snout and horn and short spines down the length of his body. He roared angrily for the intruders―that being them―but didn't seem to notice her or Toothless. Then he turned and approached to where Snotlout was buried in the snow, but even as he got close to her cousin's shivering face, didn't seem to realize he was right there.

"Toothless, warning shot", Hiccup took the opportunity, and Toothless did as asked, firing a single shot at the wall of ice above the Snow Wraith.

The Snow Wraith turned towards them with fury, but then the other dragons followed suit, firing at the Snow Wraith. It only agitated him more, and he took off after them.

"Cease fire! Cease fire!" Hiccup yelled, feeling the fire at her back as most of it hit the snowbank, but by then it was too late.

000

The Snow Wraith was just too fast. It swept passed Shadowstar so fast, Shadowstar didn't think, and instead bucked Aric off in her instinctual attempt to jump out of the way. Aric was thrown off and over the cliff they were on, Aric thankfully able to catch himself on the side of the icy mountain.

"Shadowstar!" he called, and Shadowstar's tail came down, spikes out. He used those to climb back up and to his dragon.

000

Climbing out of the snow bank, Hiccup looked up, having lost sight of where the Snow Wraith went but knowing he was there. Her eyes were narrowed.

"Alright, I've had just about enough of this dragon, bud. Do it", she said, and Toothless let out his sonic-roar, the sound bouncing back almost immediately. "Toothless now, multiple blasts!"

Toothless fired, nearly hitting the Snow Wraith each time, when finally the Snow Wraith roared in furious defeat, and flew away. At least, that's what she assumed.

"He's gone, right?" she decided to ask.

Toothless' ears raised out, he nodded. "He's gone."

"Whoo", Hiccup breathed. "Everyone okay?!" she then shouted, looking around. She saw Shadowstar help Aric up back onto the cliff. "Everybody here?"

"What do you mean by here?" Ruffnut asked, and Hiccup felt relief at seeing the rest of the riders and Gothi all okay.

"I have a question, Hiccup", Snotlout brushed clumps of snow off himself. "What exactly is your plan to get a Snow Wraith tooth? Take it out of one of our dead bodies?"

"If all goes well, it'll be Ruffnut's dead body", Tuffnut said. "And the Wraith tooth."

"Hold up, quiet!" Hiccup exclaimed as Gothi stepped into the middle of their circle. "Gothi wants to tell us something."

Fishlegs stepped beside Gothi as she drew in the snow. "She says, we should have left when we had the chance."

A Snow Wraith call rang.

000

Their next patient was Agnar, a man with a bad stomach bug. As he sat, throwing up into his helmet, Astrid worked on the cure, Gobber beside her 'helping'.

"Don't you worry Agnar. I've seen her whip up this stomach cure a thousand times", Gobber said reassuringly.

"Right. And I've actually made it", Astrid was quick to point out. "Maybe once or twice", she muttered under her breath. She didn't exactly remember how it was supposed to be made, but that was why she had the recipe book. As long as she followed the recipe, it'd be fine.

"What are you doing?" Astrid questioned as she spot Gobber about to put something in the cauldron.

"Just putting in the next ingredient, not to worry, lass. One dab eye of yak", he said, then with a steady hand, shook one dab from the bottle. "Now, would that be one eye, or a dab of an eye?" he then asked. Astrid just turned back around, but as she did, she accidentally hit a cup with her elbow, a green liquid inside. It spilled every last drop into the cauldron.

Astrid's breath had caught, her hands out to stop it, but obviously unable to. She looked to Gobber, her eyes wide.

Agnar retched once more.

"Eh…" Gobber took a cup, scooped up the potion, and went over to Agnar with a smile. "Drink this three times a day, and come back and see us if it doesn't kill you."

"Huh?!" Agnar exclaimed, Gobber simply ushering him up and out.

"I'm just kidding", he saved. "Hopefully", he added in a mutter.

Astrid just groaned, hands on her head as she leaned over the table.

000

The storm died down, and the group huddled in a circle created by their dragons' wings, it was time to figure out what to do next. They had two options: stay and get the tooth, or go home and forget the Dragon Eye. There was only one clear answer in Hiccup's mind.

The only question now in Aric's mind was why. Why was this Dragon Eye so important to her? It was just an old object? Maybe it was just the excitement and prospect of finally having a new discovery. It had been a long time since they'd had an adventure like this and something to strive to dragon related. She'd seemed so depressed back at the sea stack a few days ago. At least now she was happy.

Too bad for her, no one else felt the same. Not even Fishlegs, the only person to rival Hiccup's own thirst for knowledge.

"Hiccup, you know I want a shot at this thing as much as you do, but maybe we should get out of here. We're sitting ducks in those storms", Fishlegs said.

"Wait", Hiccup's mind then sparked. Aric could see it in the way her eyes lit up. "What did you say?"

"He said we're sitting ducks", Snotlout barked. "And for once, I agree with him", his arms crossed. Hiccup ignored her angry cousin, however, for the idea clearly stirring in her head. She looked out to the snow.

"Sitting ducks", she muttered aloud. "Ye-yes! That's exactly what we need to be!"

"I'm sorry, what?" Aric questioned.

"What if we could make the Snow Wraith think he sees us when we're not here?"

"You can make yourself invisible?" Tuffnut gaped, Ruffnut's jaw dropped. "Why does she get to do all the cool stuff? I just get to sit here with you as a sister."

"Will you two be quiet for 10 seconds?!" Snotlout shouted, and for once Aric agreed.

"Tuff's not that far off", Hiccup defended. "Look, the Snow Wraith didn't have any trouble seeing us until Snotlout got buried in the snow. A-and Gothi said it couldn't find her when she fell into a snowbank! I think that's because they see body heat in the same way Night Furies find things with sound. We can use this to our advantage to confuse him. Then, once he's distracted, we'll net him, and get that tooth!"

"And you're sure it will work?" Aric questioned. Hiccup had the tendency to only half think plans through, winging the rest.

"Ehhhh…." Hiccup's hands balanced up and down as if weighing the options, a lopsided smile to match.

"Of course not", he sighed. Once again, a working theory was all she needed.

"I hate you! You know that!" Snotlout said.

"Yes, I am aware of that", Hiccup said back. "Now, let's get to work."

And so, no one able to talk her out of it, they set to work.

000

It didn't take long to make and set their decoy dummies. Set out in a circle within plain sight, the riders and Gothi hid inside a small ice cave.

"Now, if I'm right, when we light these on fire, the Snow Wraith will think they're us and attack. Then, we'll have the drop on him."

"Wait wait wait!" Snotlout exclaimed. "Look at how realistically gorgeous my statue is. I can't in good conscious send that into flames."

"I'll work through the pain and do it for you", Aric said.

"Really? You'd do that for me? But that's-that's so nice?"

Aric shook his head, eyes rolling. Either way, Hiccup had Toothless do it. Another storm had begun.

"Toothless, light 'em up", she said, and stepping forward, Toothless fired at the dummies, setting each one on fire.

Snotlout took off his helmet in a show of respect. "Somewhere in the world, a silent tear was just cried", he said.

Hiccup didn't really pay mind to it, too focused for when the Snow Wraith showed himself. Her eyes narrowed into the blizzard, all quiet, when suddenly one of the decoys was destroyed in a blur of white.

"There", Hiccup exclaimed. "Okay, next time he comes in, we go."

He came in again, destroying Snotlout's decoy.

"Oh-ho-ho, no you did not!" Snotlout exclaimed, Hookfang lighting on fire.

The ice above them was melting, though trying to find the right opening, Hiccup hadn't noticed. Not until Toothless scooped her up with a scream of, "Look out!"

The cave collapsed, the rest trapped inside, and out in the storm, Toothless' wings opened to let Hiccup out.

"Thanks, bud", she said, but then roared, "Toothless, look out!"

The Snow Wraith coming in from behind, Toothless ducked over Hiccup, the Snow Wraith sweeping right passed them.

"If he can see our body heat, then we are way too easy a target out here", Hiccup said, and so they moved to the decoys, standing in the middle of the fires. "This should even the odds a little. Shall we?"

"I love this game", Toothless bleated, and the two used their sonic-roars to echo-locate the Snow Wraith. After several roars and nothing, Hiccup stopped, panting a bit. "Anything?"

"Nothing", Toothless shook his head.

"Where is he?" she wondered. "Keep going."

They kept it up, Toothless roaring in one direction while she did another. Hiccup had to stop again, but Toothless kept going. "That's it, bud, keep going; find him", she panted. It wasn't until they heard his roar that they realized the Snow Wraith had snuck up right behind them.

They turned, Toothless readying a plasma blast, but that was when Gothi suddenly ran into the fray.

"Gothi, no!" Hiccup exclaimed, but it did little to stop her as she swung her staff at the Snow Wraith, smacking his head with it over and over until the Snow Wraith caught it in his teeth. Gothi, having refused to let go, was left hanging from it, the Snow Wraith trying to shake her off and throw the accursed staff away.

"Toothless, now, plasma blast! And careful not to hit the crazy little woman with the staff."

Toothless shot, and the Snow Wraith threw Gothi, her staff included, away before turning back to the duo and raring for attack. He was stopped, though, by a stream of fire from Hookfang.

"Oh yeah! That's right! Snotlout got us out of the snow!" Snotlout boasted.

"Yeah, and you're also the one to get us buried in it to begin with", Aric burst his bubble.

"Ah, details."

They ran to where Hiccup and Toothless stood, and with the gang together, it was now five against one. The Snow Wraith began to back away, the dragons firing every now and then as they held their ground and surrounded him.

"Now, listen, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. All we need is one tooth", Hiccup told the Snow Wraith, but the dragon just roared.

"NEVER!" he screamed, and then flew up and raced away.

"No, wait! We can't lose him."

"Actually, he lost us", Tuffnut corrected.

"Hiccup, we should get out of here while we can", Aric advised.

"Not yet", Hiccup argued. "Gang, this isn't over. N-not now, Gothi", Hiccup looked down, the woman having been tapping her shoulder. "Now we came here for a Snow Wraith tooth an― I-I said in a minute, Gothi―And we are not leaving―Gothi―without―oh. A tooth", Gothi stuck the end of her staff in front of Hiccup's face. That's when it hit her.

"A tooth!"

000

Upon arrival back to Berk, the sun setting with a long day's end, the riders took Gothi's staff and the tooth embedded in it to Gobber.

"Alright, one walloping staff for Gothi, and one key for―" Gobber paused as an angry Astrid came stomping over.

"You, ma'am, have a lot of explaining to do", she exclaimed at Gothi. "Leaving me here with Gobber of all people. Do you have any idea how many mistakes I had to clean up because he had no idea what he was doing? I mean, really. Putting a blacksmith in charge instead of your own student? Why are you smirking like that?"

Gothi didn't answer, just continuing to smile. It didn't seem like she needed to though.

"This was all a test. Wasn't it", Astrid said. "That's why you put him in charge."

That's when Gothi spoke, or well, scribbled.

You are a marvelous student, Astrid, and I have no doubt you would have been a fine substitute on your own in my absence. But, until now you've lacked true challenge. I needed to see how you would prove in the face of even the most difficult of... she paused for a moment. Obstacles.

"So…does that mean...I passed?"

We'll see.

"Astrid!" Agnar shouted across the plaza. "Astrid, I must have more of that potion you made me earlier!" he stopped before her.

"Oh, cured your stomach ailment alright?" Astrid asked.

"That, and more! It's made my hair grow back!" Agnar exclaimed, showing the hair beginning to grow beneath his helmet.

"Hey, congrats Agnar!" Snotlout pat him on the back.

"Well, at least you only got one of the side effects", Astrid seemed to almost chuckle nervously.

That's when his body did something else. Something, revoltingly disgusting as the smell hit their noses. Hiccup coughed from it. Astrid's hands were cupped over her nose.

"Well, just whip up more of that potion, Astrid. We can finish up here", Hiccup said as she waved the smell away.

"Oh", Astrid stiffened. "Uh…yeah. Of course. Um..." she leaned down to Gothi. "We're gonna need more of that…" her voice became a whisper.

Gothi's face turned to Astrid with a puzzled look, Astrid just nodding with a cringed expression. With an inaudible sigh, Gothi ushered Agnar to follow her.

"Do I even want to know?" Aric asked.

"Let's just say there was a…happy accident", Astrid answered.

"Ah, yes well, as I was saying", Gobber continued, "one key for our Dragon Eye."

"Thank you, Gobber", Hiccup said as she took it. This was it. The moment they worked so hard towards. Fitting the key into the Dragon Eye, she turned it, and…

Nothing.

"We almost died…for that?!" Snotlout exclaimed.

"No, the-there's gotta be more to it than this", Hiccup said as she lifted the Dragon Eye and began fiddling with it. "It just doesn't make any sense."

"Welcome to my world, sister", Tuffnut said. "Nothing makes sense and you got itchy teeth."

That night as Hiccup sat at her desk still toying with the Dragon Eye, a large yawn escaped her.

"You're tired", Toothless drawled from his rock slab.

"Yes, I know, bud. But I've got to figure this out."

"Do you? Or are you just using this Dragon Eye as another excuse?"

"Toothless, please", Hiccup asked of him. She didn't want to talk about this again. "But fine", she sighed. "I'll put it away for the night", she put the Dragon Eye down on her desk. "Maybe having fresh eyes in the morning will help."

Standing, Hiccup moved to get ready for bed, when Toothless stood and reheated his, his fire causing something to happen to the Dragon Eye. The end facing the wall, the part she could only assume was the front by the dragon maw, was glowing.

Hiccup moved back to where she left the Dragon Eye, took her stool, and set the stool before the wall with the Dragon Eye resting on top.

"Toothless, come here for a sec."

With a curious look, Toothless came over.

"Do that again. Give me a low flame", Hiccup said, and moving behind the Dragon Eye, Toothless lit it.

Eyes impossibly wide, Hiccup gasped with what she saw.

"This. Changes. Everything."


And so it begins.