Dragon Heart

by Primal WolfBlood

Set a week after HTTYD2, Drago returns home, defeated, looking to regroup. But when he gets home, he finds that not everyone was impressed with his efforts... someone wants to go further, by not only controlling the Dragons, but their riders as well

8. A Sting in the Tail

Dragon Heart Atte – A Sting in the Tail

As Drago crashed to the ground, Astrid just watched on impassively. "If Odin has mercy, the poison will take you before the fire does." Both Skylar and Hiccup seemed unsure whose side she was on, as she hovered on Stormfly, the ashes darkening her eyes and accentuating the tears which had fallen.

The deadlock was suddenly broken when Skylar laughed, and shook his head, before flying right next to Astrid, which she allowed. "For a moment you really had me, Astrid. Now my Queen, take my hand, and together we will rip apart Mr. Haddock." She gave a sinister grin, and then followed orders, as Hiccup readied for a fight.

At this moment though, he saw something in Astrid's face, and decided to just swoop away. "This isn't over Skylar. Not by a long shot." "I concur Mr. Haddock, not until my dog of war has torn you limb from limb." Before he flew away however, Hiccup had a stark warning. "I'm not the person I used to be, I'm always a step ahead now. In fact, I already am."

In the skies above Caldera Cay

Heather was flying over the island, when suddenly she found a rope being thrown around her, landing perfectly. As she looked around, Dagur was behind her, and before she could react, he flew past at a tremendous speed, laughing all the while, pulling her along for the ride. 'When my liege and queen find out about this, they will be greatly annoyed." "Well they're not going to. Not until it's too late to make a difference anyway."

Before Heather could rebuff again, she was rudely interrupted by being slammed head-first into a tree, falling back off Windshear and onto Dagur's shoulder. After cringing in pain for a moment, he decided to land straight away, landing right in front of Mala, who seemed rather pleased at his handiwork.

"I will say, it was a little more… primitive… then I imagined, but I suppose it's whatever gets the job done." "Yeah, you try steering a brainwashed dragon rider into a tree with broken ribs." As he grimaced again, Mala just put her hand on his ribs. "How about you have a nice rest here for a while? I'm sure I can leave my troops to take care of miss Heather here. We boast some of the finest chains in the whole archipelago."

"Come in useful often?" Dagur replied sarcastically, not prepared for the response. "Yes actually, more than you might think. But you're injured, so we'll have to save that for another time." Dagur then jumped on his dragon. "On second thoughts, I've got a lot to do back on Berserker Island, and Hiccup could probably use the backup, and" "Safe travels" Mala bid him, knowing full well why he was leaving.

In the watchtower

As the armoury's flames started to peter out, Astrid was watching the madness when Skylar walked up to her. "When this is rebuilt, it will all be ours." "For your greatness, I will strive." "It is my full intention to make sure you are safe. Therefore, you will be staying in here from now on." Astrid turned to him though, eyes still emotionless. "No." "Pardon?" Skylar replied, shocked at the sudden disobedience of his puppet. He needn't have worried however, as a smirk appeared on her face. "I want to be there for all of your many victories. I want a front row ticket to see your greatest triumphs over this world that you dominate. Like you dominate me." Unable to control his ego, Skylar accepted. "Just as I dominate your every thought. You will watch as I conquer this archipelago, and then move on to the rest of them." As Skylar left, laughing, Astrid watched on with a side glance.

Near the dungeons

Dagur landed just in time to talk tactics with Hiccup. "Brother, I know you don't want to hear this, but this situation is totally out of control." "Yeah, do you not think I can see that Dagur? The armoury is on fire, half of berk is in ruins, and my girlfriend betrayed me and is under the spell of some nutter who only wants world domination." "So what do we do about it? Because I'll be honest with you, it's now or never." Hiccup seemed to agree, Clenching his fist with resolve. "You're right, this has to end. Tomorrow it ends. I'm going to have to defeat Skylar in battle, one way or another. Regardless of the consequences or who gets in the way."

The next dawn, in the waters near Berk

Astrid and Skylar were systematically destroying the remainder of Drago's fleet, with Astrid clearly doing a majority of the work. As they flew along, Skylar dropped Monstrous Nightmare firebombs onto Drago's ships and knocking a number of Drago's troops into the water, while Astrid was swooping low and beheading some other troops nearby.

Finally, with one last wild effort, she executed one last commander, the powerful slice not only severing their head, but swinging right through and leaving a deep gouge in the side of Skylar's purple riding saddle. Not that he could have cared in the slightest, as he had all the power he could ever have imagined and had fought off his biggest possible challenge. Little did he know that his enemies were closer than ever.

On the ground, by the armoury

Valka was stood, just watching on as the wreckage of Berk was cleared up. All she could do was try and help where she could, whether it was pulling people and animals out of the twisted, melted metal or trying to listen out for signs of life. Soon enough, a large, charred and barely recognisable body was slowly extracted, having been nestled in the ruins. A group of six burly villagers slowly lifted the body up from the wreckage, sheets and rods of metal and wood tumbling off the corpse as it was removed, before they carried it away as people watched on. And all Valka could do was question "What will it take for this war to end?"

Back in the watchtower

Skylar was by now aware of Drago's body being recovered, but he didn't seem to even care. In fact if anything he was happy, knowing that his dangerous father had been removed. "And so another piece leaves the board. Soon my queen will have checkmate. All I truly need is my loyalist servant, my one true queen. Soon enough my control will not be needed as you will truly see. After all, the probe was designed to depart when its job was done."

Sadly for the monologuer, his musings were quickly interrupted by Dagur walking into the room with purpose. "Dagur, how can I… sorry, we, be of assistance?" His face wasn't friendly though, it was stern. "I have received a written message confirmed to be from Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III." Clearly far from happy, Skylar resorted to insults. "Horrendous is a good name for the little runt. Right, what did he want?"

Dagur cleared his throat and made a proclamation. "Hiccup Haddock has challenged you to a fight to the death." Skylar quickly picked up his razor-sharp axe from its holster, and went to get on a cape, but Dagur put him right. "Sorry, I wasn't talking to you, that's why I was looking at Astrid." She responded with apparent contempt. "HE'S challenging ME? Let me read that." Before she could snatch it, he tossed it over to her. The proclamation read "I, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, challenge the one true challenger to the throne of Berk, Astrid Hofferson, to a fight to the death. I regret it has come this far, but this war must end before this entire archipelago does. Be warned that anybody who interferes is also putting their life in danger. Meet me at midnight under tomorrow's full moon, and may the gods be in the rightful leader's favour. Signed, Hiccup Haddock III."

Skylar was about to shoot the idea down when Astrid stopped him, replying to the message. "I will send a parchment to him immediately informing him that I accept his challenge. As rightful Queen of Berk, I will never back down from a challenge, regardless of who it might be or who they think they are." As Skylar turned around, Astrid sly put her newly shined axe in their holster and took Skylar's instead, getting ready for war.

Seeing the tension in the room, Dagur tried to make his excuses and leave, but the angry and vicious Bludvist grabbed him by the throat. "You wouldn't be trying to… overthrow me, by any chance, would you? You see, you waltz in here with your false proclamations and claims of a war that I have already won. It's almost like you don't want me to be here so you can get to my queen. Whose whereabouts the other night are still to be accounted for."

Dagur was in mortal danger here, which meant that for the first time in his life, he had to resort to Dagur the Deranged's worst enemy – logic. "If I may speak for a moment." Skylar then backed off two paces. "Go ahead." "You're suggesting that I made up this proclamation so that I could turn on you and get Queen Astrid, right?"

"That is correct." "If that were the case, then why would I have specifically challenged Astrid to a fight to the death? Everyone knows you'd be coming with her. If anything I should have challenged YOU and asked that you came on your own. Also, why would I put Hiccup in direct danger when I'd need his help? If you saw him coming towards the tower, am I supposed to accept that you just wouldn't bother returning? Even I'M not that stupid."

Suspicious still, Skylar painted Dagur into a corner. "And what makes you think I wouldn't just fight anyway?" "Because I know you. If you don't mind me saying, your Queen Is the thing you desired most, keeping Astrid on her leash is way more important to you than honour in battle. If you want something you're just taking it anyway. I can't say I like it, but I literally can't afford to turn on you. My people are starving as is. Regardless of my opinion, I have to stay working with you."

Finally satisfied, he backed off. "You can go now." As Dagur took advantage to flee, Astrid finally spoke again. "Hiccup Haddock is your final threat to the throne of Berk. It would be my honour to destroy him for you." Skylar just stroked the top of her bright blonde hair. "Since you are so keen. I will get you ready and accompany you for the fight." "I would expect nothing less."

That night, in the shadow of the armoury

With the smouldering Armoury being largely avoided, its shadow provided a perfect cover for the remaining Dragon Riders to meet in private. "I thought you said Astrid would be free by now." "I did, but we can't wait even if she is." "So, what happened? Did she escape or did he double cross you?" "Listen Snotlout, I don't know what's going on. I wasn't there, ok? I don't know what's happening and I don't know why it's happening. All I know is that I have to get rid of him one way or another tomorrow."

"So what did you want us for?" "I need you to clear the way for me. Fishlegs… sorry, Bonecrusher, is going to interfere. That is, unless he's taken out of the equation." "And let me guess, you want me to risk my life to get rid of him." "No, I want the three of you to work together to strand him. There's an abandoned atoll about five miles west of the port, I just need you to get him on there."

"And you?" "If I'm going to have to fight to the death, I have to be ready. I can't afford to leave anything to chance here." Snotlout seemed to understand and offered his hand to Hiccup in respect. "Do what you need to do, just make sure you both come out alive, ok?" Reluctant to promise anything, Hiccup shook his hand. "I'll do my best."

Ruffnut then had a very important question. "So you're Hiccup right?" "Erm, the last time I checked I was." "It's just that Hiccup always has a plan up his sleeve." He smiled, nodded to them, and then brought the three of them in close, before discussing the plan with them in hushed tones as to not be heard. As they listened to the plan, Snotlout's face lit up while the twins started giggling to themselves at the machinations being devised.

The next morning

Bonecrusher was standing vanguard over the tower when he saw Snotlout in the distance, making a big point of setting fire to one of Skylar's ships. Programmed to serve Skylar as much as Astrid, he found himself compelled to leave his post and march over, allowing the twins to sneak into the tower. As Bonecrusher arrived at the port, Snotlout immediately started running away from him, causing a pursuit. Despite being far more athletic than his pursuer, Snotlout knew that he had to go slowly in order for the plan to work. As they reached a forested area, he suddenly held up a thin piece of fabric to his nose, and Barf and Belch, hiding behind the trees, released a putrid stench of gas.

As the gas continued to fall, it created a thick mist, which caused the former Fishlegs to become lost, unable to see a path back and getting increasingly disorientated by the powerful stench, until eventually, it made him pass out. Waiting until the stench had started to pass, Snotlout ran in, still covering his face, and dragged his former friend onto an awaiting Hookfang, who snorted due to his rider being late.

As they flew off, Snotlout looked back and saw Dagur following them. "Stay away Dagur." "It's ok Snotnuts, I'm on your side. Hiccup sent me to make sure that you were managing ok." "I was managing just fine before you arrived." "Ok ok, no need to get your Snotnuts in a twist." This caused him to explode.

"Lout, my name is Snotlout. I know that you don't get that, because Hiccup is the only one who exists to you, but" "Woah, I never said that." "I am the one who's been working with Hiccup the entire time, I've done more for this island over the past few months than almost anybody else. And ever since Astrid got whatever, I've been the one holding down the fort, training her B team, and in return, I get you as a babysitter."

Dagur then flew next to him. "You know the amount of people who have been hurt… been killed, through all of this? If Hiccup didn't trust you, he wouldn't have sent you to do this to begin with. You're a Dragon Rider, think of how cool that is. How many kids would love to be doing the thing you're doing. And yet, you're the one who's always there. Doesn't that make sense to you?"

"So you're telling me that Hiccup actually trusts me." "Everyone does. You're the one who's going to dive straight into the most dangerous situations, kick ass and then fly away on fire. Now let's drop this guy off and then you can fly into the fight on fire." Flying over the atoll, Hookfang swooped low, and Snotlout rolled Bonecrusher off the right wing, causing him to thump on the sand, as they flew away having done their job.

In the Watchtower

The twins were in the tower, just interacting with Astrid when they heard Skylar's voice. "Astrid, it's almost time." While she was messing around in their wardrobe, they dashed out, narrowly avoiding the Bludvist as he approached the top room of the tower, Astrid's prison.

As the twins started spying, Skylar walked back into the room and immediately let Astrid's hair down, causing her to stop what she was doing at the wardrobe and sit down for him. "You Astrid, are being very obedient. And once that Hiccup is out of the way, nothing will stop me from taking full control You see, even without the probe, poison has been seeping into your brain. Any day now, the spell will be unbreakable."

After re-plaiting her hair, he took a piece of rusted metal, and tied the plait with it. "This is more than just a bonding process. This is now me taking control. This metal binds your hair just as I bind your mind and your spirit." The reply was ominous. "I am forever bound by your power Master." "Good."

"Now about tonight." "I will fight him." Skylar was greatly displeased to hear this, but Astrid had a plan. "I am yours Master, this is all for your glory. I will cut his throat, and then, I will bring my chief his head." "As it should be. I look forward to the moment that I have his head in my hands, I will place it upon a spike at port to remind people what happens to invaders." As he spoke, Astrid smiled sinisterly.

The Full Moon

Astrid and Skylar were waiting when suddenly they saw a crack of lightning in the sky. And another. Then the clouds lit up and parted as the familiar sound of a Night Fury surged through the sky, before Toothless emerged from cover, circling Astrid. She responded by circling him. And then a spine shot was blocked by a plasma blast.

At this moment, Toothless and Stormfly's eyes met along with their riders', and they started to dart around each other, warning shots being fired from both sides. With no progress, Astrid signalled to Stormfly, who puffed up spikes on her tail, before swinging around, and smacking Skylar clean in the face.

He was willing to chalk this up as a mistake, until the moment that he saw her face, burning with rage. She then looked at Hiccup, and simply said "Back up. He's MINE." With this, Toothless flew to a safe distance above the clouds, and let Astrid take over. "Astrid, don't do this. I can take control of you at a moment's notice, I can render you completely mindless." He was about to get a horrible surprise.

"No, you can't. Because an old friend… of yours I might add, helped me out." She looked to the left, and… nothing. Until a few seconds later, when Dagur and Snotlout flew through the scene. "Dagur, you missed your timing!" "Seriously? This was my big opportunity to be a star." She then saw Snotlout with him. "Snotlout, can I borrow Hookfang's fire?" He smiled, and tapped on his Dragon's head, and he breathed fire, which Astrid stuck her axe straight into, setting it on fire.

Skylar hadn't noticed this though because he was too busy arguing with Dagur. "You better have a good reason for betraying me." "Yeah, I have a great reason." "I'm listening…" Dagur then laughed. "It's because you're a complete psychopath! So because of that, the thing with the swamp tribe?" "Yes?" "I organised ALL of that. I explained what was going on to them, and they agreed to lend me the island for a while. By the way, the treaty was signed, not that it's anything to do with you."

Disgusted, Skylar turned around only to narrowly avoid decapitation from a flaming axe. He went to strike back, going straight for Astrid's head, but as it connected, he realised that it had barely made a mark, leading to him being lashed in the face with spines. "Oh, sorry, I forgot to tell you that while I was being a good little girl earlier I kind of switched our axes. Mine's as blunt as anything."

Nevertheless, he swung again, but Stormfly spun to the side of him, and Astrid leapt off her dragon in mid-air, landing right in front of Skylar, and in a rage, started punching him and slashing away with her axe in a complete frenzy. "This is for every single time you violated me, every single time you tricked me into thinking that I was doing the right thing, and every time you made me hurt someone I care about."

While this was happening, Valka rode up beside Hiccup. "The Hofferson Frenzy, I remember when her uncle used to get like this." "You knew Finn?" Valka just nodded in response. "Not only did I know him, but we also courted… briefly. Before I met your father. He said it's something in the Hofferson genes, when they are at their most motivated, every sense is heightened. And she's a far better warrior than he ever was."

In the skies, Skylar was unable to land a single hit, being viciously torn apart by lashing spines as Astrid explained everything. "While I was gone, I met a little girl in a small village in the swamps. She walked up to me and told me that I was her hero because I showed her that girls could also be fighters, and that you could be cool and a badass without being a meathead."

"So at that exact moment, I knew that I had to stop you. And the best way to do that was to keep my enemy closest. To ever since I came back, I've pretended to be under your twisted spell the entire time, just so we could get here. Just so I could have you in this exact position now. By the way, don't bother calling anyone to help you."

Skylar ignored this request and set off a flare to alert his troops. "I really wouldn't bother, most of them are at the bottom of the sea." "What does that mean?" At this point, Ruffnut and Tuffnut arrived, and Tuffnut explained their job. "Yeah… we sort of switched the sails on your ships with Drago's a few days ago. So when you thought you were attacking Drago's troops…"

Skylar finished the explanation himself. "I was blindly killing my own sailors. Never mind, they are disposable, I still have my land troops." "Yeah, about that… they're probably missing something quite important to help you." "And what's that?" Astrid just smiled and shrugged. "Their heads?"

"But how… you've been with me ever since" "I was with you at the time. You remember when we were destroying your navy? Well I sorta diverted slightly and went on my own mission to decapitate everyone. I mean this was so important to me, I even cut sliced holes in all of your clothes." He originally shook this off, but a few seconds later, it occurred to him that this included the bright red armour he was wearing.

This occurred to him just too late however, as when he turned again, he saw Hiccup on Stormfly. 'What are you doing there?" "Well, you know, me and Astrid, we kind of worked together on this, which includes swapping dragons from time to time.' As Hiccup explained, Toothless silently glided behind Skylar, before charging past the speed of sound, and with unerring accuracy, Astrid buried her flaming axe deep into the spine of her former controller.

He howled in pain, not realising the damage that was occurring in his body, nor the fact that he would have only seconds until being completely paralyzed. He picked up the axe from his back, and gave it one last mighty swing towards Hiccup, but Astrid flew right in front of him. "What are you doing Astrid!" Hiccup screamed in panic, but Astrid was willing to pay everything. "Saving you!" What Hiccup didn't know was that Astrid had a contingency plan to make sure she would never be controlled again

In the watchtower earlier that day

As the twins walked into the prison after Skylar's departure, Astrid saw them immediately. "It's safe, I'm not under his spell." "But you just" She turned round and explained. "Drago broke the probe yesterday, but I have to make sure that tonight is the night that it all ends. Otherwise I'll end." They seemed confused, until Astrid showed them a fabric woven pouch full of black berries.

"Woah, those look dangerous." "From the way he's talked, I have about 48 hours until I'm permanently under his control due to the influence from the probe spreading. And I'm not letting it. If I don't get rid of him tonight, I'll take all of these Belladonna berries, I'll be dead in seconds. But NOBODY can know about this. Not Hiccup, not Skylar, not Snotlout or Dagur, NOBODY."

In the fight

Astrid opened her arms up, ready to take the hit for Hiccup. "Don't do this!" She just looked at him and smiled. "I'm sorry Hiccup. For everything. I love you." "Don't talk like that." "If sacrificing myself is what it takes, that's what I'll do. I'll take him to hell personally and then, just maybe, find my uncle in Valhalla." And then, there was a fateful noise. Not a burning noise or that of a skull being caved in by metal, but of leather, ripping and splitting.

Skylar's saddle, which Astrid had damaged earlier, tore apart on one side. And it could not have happened at a worse time, as when he tried to reach it, Skylar suddenly found himself completely paralyzed from the assault on his back. Unable to move his upper body, he gently slid off his dragon and fell backwards into the sea, only able to look at Astrid, Hiccup, and what might have been, his reign of terror finally over, as Astrid said a prayer. "Odin, if you have justice, let his drowning be mercifully short, so forever may last longer in the pits of despair."

She and Hiccup the nodded to each other, and as they did, Stormfly fired a single spine, and Toothless fired a plasma blast, which both hit Skylar directly. He was dead by the time he hit the water, totally unable to defend himself. And Hiccup couldn't bring himself to have any sympathy. "Some families are rotten to the core. I hope their descendants don't inherit their greed."

An hour later

Having landed following the fight, Hiccup approached Astrid, who was sat on a rock by the pier, feet dangling in the icy cold ocean. She noticed him, but they didn't speak. Until he broke the silence unexpectedly. "Is now a good time to mention that I'm going to be officially recrowned as chief next week?" "That's fantastic." "And I want you to be Co-Chieftain."

Stunned silence then befell her. "You… know what you're asking, right?" He just touched her shoulder in response. "I've never been any more sure of anything in my life." He then signalled to Toothless, who sat with his tongue to the side. "A little help here bud?" The Night Fury walked over, and drew a circle in the beach, with a line through the centre. "We're two halves of the perfect circle. Sure I can invent stuff and I've got a dragon that is practically invisible at night, but you, you're the fighter."

"Coming from someone who fought a Red Death and the Berserkers and Alvin and the hunters and Viggo and Krogan and" "Yeah, I kind of get the message." "Point is, you have everything it takes to be a leader. That's why you're the true chief of Berk. You don't need me." Hiccup though, disagreed, and continued to try and convince her.

"I want you to though. Because I can't do all of this by myself." "But… what if I'm not ready? What if I can't do it? You saw what happened when I tried to lead Berk" "No, I saw what happened when you were being told how to lead Berk. Listen Astrid, you were always ready. You know how I know that? Because I learned how to be ready from you. I never told you, but I spent hours watching you, studying how you held yourself, how you spoke, even how you looked. Those times that we sat, talking about how I should deal with Dad and with Alvin and with Dagur, I was secretly seeking counsel"

Astrid just seemed incredibly confused by all of this. "But… why?" "Because you would always walk around so confident. You were always the confident one, sure I could invent stuff, but I didn't have the guts. You taught me everything Astrid, and you proved tonight that you have the most important thing – you were willing to give your life to keep somebody else safe. So please, just say yes."

Having thought briefly, she came to a decision. "I… always wanted to be Chieftain. I didn't think you understood that." "I always understood that. I'll be honest with you, I always wanted to rule alongside you. So what do you say?" She smiled, before him tenderly. "Let's make it happen. Because I want to be with you forever." Hiccup kissed her back, but not before giving Valka a secret thumbs up, causing his mother to giggle slightly, knowing what was to come.

One week later

Astrid and Hiccup were present alongside the entirety of Berk for the Chiefdom ceremony. Both in their finest warrior garb, they stood as Valka approached them. "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III and Astrid Hofferson, you have both chosen to rule as Chieftains. You hereby pledge that you will rule Berk and its surrounding islands with utmost fairness, integrity and caring. Do you both pledge to do this?" They both nodded. "In that case, I hereby crown you Chieftains of Berk."

Hiccup then nodded to Astrid, who stepped forward to make a speech, unknowing of what Hiccup had planned. "Everyone who is here today has survived the 1st Berk Civil War. You have come through the greatest hardship that anybody in these realms could possibly come through. You have seen great change during that time, and it is our promise that not only will Berk be rebuilt, but that it will achieve its former glory."

People cheered Astrid's speech, and then started getting increasingly louder, but Astrid didn't notice. "If the past few months have taught us anything, it is the importance of unity and loyalty. We would not have gotten through this alone, we need each other, neighbour to neighbour, friend to friend, lover to lover, it doesn't matter, everybody needs someone sometimes. I want to thank you for accepting us, and I want to assure you that should a war like the one we came through happens again, we will be prepared." She then raised her axe. "For the glory of Berk!" The crowd replied in unison, but still seemed somewhat distracted.

The reason became clear seconds later, as when Astrid turned to leave, she saw Hiccup, on one knee. "Hiccup, what is this?" "All this that has happened over the past few months, it's made me realise something – I don't want to ever lose you. Astrid Hofferson, please will you marry me?" She found herself unable to respond, completely stunned at this sudden turn of events. But in her heart, she knew the decision, and she signalled for him to get up, before saying "It would be my honour."

As the spectators cheered, Hiccup and Astrid held hands in the centre of the stage, as Valka confirmed "Well, it appears that our Chieftains have just gotten engaged." As a party atmosphere erupted, Astrid just whispered to her fiancé "But we're totally using my name, I'm not becoming Mrs. Haddock." He laughed and agreed. "Anything for you, my Dragon Heart."

FINI