She wasn't sure why she was surprised after hearing the familiar clangs of metal so late into the night. This had been a normal occurrence since that day three years ago. The day her own life was turned upside down. The image of her smothered house still burned in the back of her brain. Sighing a bit in the cold late autumn air, she walked in the shop.

Her only greeting was a look from the working teen and accepting her axe. She starred into the fire, thinking where everything had changed. The twins were some prominent fighters during the raids, while she had became an instructor at the Ring, taking over the resident blacksmith's former position. That didn't mean she wasn't the second strongest fighter after their chief. From the remain two boys, one became the de-facto librarian while the became the heir to Berk's throne. The last among their generation, was the teen in front of her who had become a full-time blacksmith.

Not actually, she corrected herself. It was a common occurrence that the teen would suddenly disappear for a few days or weeks at times in the woods. She wondered if that was his way to deal with the treatment the villagers gave him. Just disappear like the villagers wanted.

She watched intently as sparks flew off while her axe blade sharpened exponentially. She was so lost, she jumped when the teen spoke up.

"Another troubling meeting?"

Calming herself down, she nodded. "The usual. Snotlout's boasts about searching the nest and destroying it, Gobber throwing away that plan as idiocy, Chief's anger at Mildew baseless accusations. You know the usual", she answered with shrug. "How do you always know if something's troubling me?", she asked with a frown.

"You start paying attention to little details when you are a blacksmith", he answered bringing down the hammer hard on the hot luminous orange sword. "One small mistake and the entire thing come apart", he added repeating his previous action. "Now or when they are needed to hold on the most"

The girl nodded at the words. She wondered if there was some hidden meaning behind them. She discarded that thought. The boy would have hinted that with his sarcasm, not with a straight-forward answer. Checking her axe for a final time, she walked out of the small shop, not before dropping some money in the cash box, pointedly ignoring the boy's exasperated sigh.

"I just paid for the service", she remarked walking away into the cold air. She quietly walked towards one of her friends. The topic brought up during the meeting was troubling. There was something she desperately needed to know. Walking up to the intended door, she knocked it hard. It was one way to show the person on the other side of the door to open up or face the consequences.

She gave a small smile to the husky blonde who had opened the door. The other teen greeted her in hurriedly, down right terrified by the expression on her face. The last time he had seen it was three weeks ago, and Snotlout had ended up with a prescribed bedrest for an entire week.

"Why are you here so late, Astrid?", he asked as calmly as possible without freaking out.

"Do have the records of the annual Chief Summit from the past three years?", she asked as the boy nodded quickly. "I want to read all the reported incidents of the Dragon Master, Fishlegs". Fishlegs nodded before bolting upstairs as fast as possible.

"Its a good thing the Dragon Master didn't attack us last night", Stoick said with fury burning in his eyes.

"I am not sure if anybody has noticed this", Phlegma remarked with confusion in her voice. "The Dragon Master never attacks on the same night as the Raids, nor does he steal any food", she paused taking in the looks of everybody at the table. "He only frees the dragons. There has never been a reported casualty in his attacks"

"But he has allied himself with the demons! That's treason!"

Her head snapped towards the teen who had appeared at the top of the stairs with a dozen or so scrolls. And none of them will have an accurate description of how he looks, other than that he always rides a Night Fury, her mind supplied in annoyance.

"That's all the reports which sum include the Dragon Master", Fishlegs remarked as he dumped the scrolls on the table and took a seat beside Astrid. "These are the reports from Meatheads, Bog Burglars, Outcasts, Murderous Tribe, Hysterics and Shivering Shores", he said unfurling all the scrolls. Astrid nodded wordlessly as she skimmed through the words.

Broke the dragons free, destroyed the arena, destroyed the holding pens, concussions, broken arm, broken leg, dislocated shoulder, no casualties, no casualties, no casualties, no casualties. "Where there no reported casualties in any of the attacks?", she asked in half-confusion and half-shock.

Fishlegs shook his head. "No. Not even a single casualty has been reported other than Dragon Hunters tribe", Fishegs supplied earning a gasp from Astrid. "From what their advisor said, the Dragon has decimated their forces by twenty percent and their ships by a staggering seventy percent".

"The Dragon Master decimated their entire force", she remarked with a shudder.

"Why are you suddenly interested in the Dragon Master?", Fishlegs asked with a frown.

The Dragon Master had become a household name to scorn. Ever since the man appeared three years ago, ruining her Final Exam by breaking out the dragons from their cages, his attacks were constant. The man would strike every two or three weeks across the Archipelago doing the same thing. No villages had been safe from his attacks, except...

"Fish, where are the reports from Berserkers?", Astrid asked with a frown as the husky blonde gave an awkward smile.

"They haven't reported such a thing. They haven't been attacked. Ever", he replied.

"WHAT?!", the girl screamed in shock. "What do you mean that they were never attacked ever?"

Fishlegs shifted in his chair at the stare. "Well... During the last Chiefs' Meeting, I had asked the same to Dagur's sister. She replied with a shrug that it was because of the natural factors of the island".

"Natural factors?", Astrid parroted in confusion. Fishlegs shrugged.

"I know. It sounds dubious. The Berserker Island's topography is pretty much like Berk. I don't know what the natural factors are", he responded.

The two spent the rest of the time in silence, skimming through the reports for any anomalies. By the last reports, Astrid was frustrated and Fishlegs was tired.

"Great, even after at least over a thousand, a thousand attacks, the only things we know is that he rides a Night Fury, has a fancy fire sword which cuts through our weapons like butter, he hates the Dragon Hunters Tribe and loves the Berserkers!", Astrid growled slamming her fists on the table. "Come on, he attacks the Dragon Hunters in broad daylight. Thor! Even Terrible Terrors would see notice something more than this!"

Fishlegs shook his head. "Whoever this man is, he.. lives on a Viking Island", the husky blonde remarked earning a shocked look from Astrid. "That's the only reason I can give for him hiding his face. If he had a hideous face as Ruffnut suggests, he would wear it proudly. Scars are like trophies for Vikings", Fishlegs pointed out. "He will be out to death for befriending a dragon, if caught. I believe, he doesn't work alone. Some reports which I don't have, say that the Dragon Master has been seen with other dragons and riders. A Razorwhip and Triple Stryke ever so often. Even a Changewing and Darmillion".

Astrid furrowed her brows at the information. This was something which she hadn't expected to find. There were four more riders they had to watch out for. "Does the Chief know?"

Fishlegs nodded. "Yeah, he knows about them. I believe he even gave the sketches of the dragons to the watchtower guards and ordered to keep an eye out for them."

Astrid stayed silent for a few moments, pondering over the information. "I see, Fish. Thanks for the information. I think I have an idea to trap the Dragon Master".


Stoick glanced at his best friend's shop for a moment, before continuing on his way home. He shook his head to get rid of the thoughts. He needed to think this practically for the future of the village. Snotlout was a much, much better heir than Hiccup. (Sarcasm intended). Hiccup destiny was to become the best blacksmith and surpass Gobber's reputation. He was often amazed at the quality of the weapon his estranged son made.

"Chief!", the shout of a familiar voice made him look with confusion at the doorway of his house. Seeing one of his most trusted warriors, he walked over to the teen.

"Why are you out late, Astrid?"

"I think I have found a way to trap the Dragon Master", she replied without missing a beat. Stoick's eyes widened at the words.

"Come in. Explain your plan"

The teen nodded and followed her chief into the house. Sitting on a chair which was provided by the man, the two sat on the opposite sides of the fire place. Stoick made a gesture for Astrid to explain.

"I got this idea from what Phlegma said. The Dragon Master always and only attacks the caged dragons. He doesn't steal fish or sheep even in other villages", Astrid started as Stoick leaned in, in interest. "We keep a permanent hidden perimeter at the Arena. Just one or two of our best fighters. That way, when the Dragon Master comes around the next time, we can trap him in the Arena. I have noted that he leave the Night Fury outside the bars of the Arena. He won't even have that beast's help", Astrid surmised.

Stoick pondered silently over the plan he had been proposed. Phlegma's words had struck him too. The plan was simple. Trap the Dragon Master, separate him from his pet beast, overpower the lone man and kill him. Simple, but effective. By the end of the next Dragon Master's raid, he would have one less thing to worry about.

"Who do you suggest we put on perimeter?", Stoick spoke up after a few minutes. Astrid's face brightened at the question. Her plan was being considered.

"I would say you should be there", Astrid answered, earning a raised brow from the tall man. "You are the strongest person in the village, Chief. Your presence should affect the Dragon Master's confidence. You have never confronted the Dragon Master personally. It should send a message that Berk is fed up of his actions", she paused waiting for some response. Stoick nodded slowly. The plan did have more merit now. "I would have suggested Gobber for the second, but both of you give more preference to raw strength over agility. I have seen the Dragon Master dodge attacks from seven people one after the other without a scratch. I would like to be the second person".

Stoick rose equal parts impressed and amused brows. This was carefully thought and laid out plan. If they managed to trap the Dragon Master, he was as good as dead in the next five minutes. 'You would be proud of her, Finn, Erik, Hilda'. "That's an amazing plan. When is the Dragon Master expected to raid next?"

Astrid smiled. "Day after tomorrow".