Four Days Later
"Wow." Gustav remarked after seeing the Dragon's Edge. After a week of sailing, he and Astrid finally made it to the Edge. He thought of how the Edge was, but it was better in real life.
"Better than you imagine?" Astrid asked as Gustav spotted a pair of dragons flying towards them.
"Yeah." Gustav replied shortly before the two Dragons landed on the ship. Gustav identified them as a Gronckle and a Changewing.
"Who are you?" the Rider on the Changewing asked.
"Astrid Hofferson and this is Gustav Larson. We're friends with Hiccup." Astrid answered and the two Riders looked at each other. Moments later a skrill landed behind the two Vikings.
"It's alright D Team. She is a friend." the Skrill's Rider remarked and Gustav was in awe at how the Rider could ride the feared dragon. The Rider turned to Astrid. "Sail to the dock and I'll meet you there."
"Understood Thrain." Astrid remarked before the three Riders and Dragons flew off. For all of Gustav's life, he thought dragons were something to fear. But these Riders showed no fear as they flew on the mighty creatures.
"That was amazing." Gustav said and Astrid tossed rope at the boy.
"Come on. We got to get to the dock." Astrid ordered and Gustav went to work.
Heather held the horn her father gave her and Dagur let her keep it when he set her adrift. Hiccup wanted an alliance with Dagur, but for it, she'll have to face Dagur. She had a charcoal pen and a piece of parchment in front of her. It would be a letter telling Dagur to die or where to meet. She couldn't decide. Part of her wanted to see him so she could put an ax in his chest. But then all of Berserker Island will be upon them. She had to decide. When a dragon landed next to her hut, she got up and opened the door to see Thrain and Shadow. "What is it?"
"Astrid is on her to the dock with a new Viking." Thrain answered and Heather smiled. A friendly face was back. Heather climbed onto Windshear and they flew down to the docks and waited. For almost an hour Heather waited and when Astrid came into view, the two waved at each other. As the ship got closer, Heather saw a young boy around Hiccup's age when the trainer started flying on Toothless.
"Hey Astrid. Been a while." Heather remarked as they docked.
"It has." Astrid replied as she finished a Night Terror glided down to them. It nearly missed hitting the boy."
"Wow!" the kid yelped as he ducked.
"Hey Glider." Astrid greeted her Night Terror. The woman scratched the Night Terror's belly. The dragon loved the scratches.
"Hey. I'm Gustav." the kid greeted Heather confidently before noticing the Razorwhip. "Is the dragon safe to be around?"
"Don't worry, Windshear is just like any dragon. Kind and protective of her pack." Heather answered and Gustav waved at the Razorwhip. "Come. I assume Hiccup wants something here?"
"Yeah. A whole lot of something." Astrid replied.
"Hiccup sure wants a lot of things." Heather remarked after looking at Hiccup's list while Astrid looked at the dragons outside of the Great Hall. She still couldn't believe that she was part of this massive conspiracy with dragons.
"Yeah. I have no idea what he wants with all of this?" Astrid added knowing little of what he needs or how he can use them. She turned to Heather as she looked at a map on the table. Astrid could tell something was wrong.
"What is it?" Astrid asked and Heather turned to the Viking.
"Hiccup is trying to form an alliance with my brother, but he is responsible for my father's death, setting me adrift, and my adoptive tribe deaths. The only way Dagur will accept is if I see him." Heather answered and Astrid's eyes widen at the name.
"Dagur the Deranged?" Astrid asked shocked that Heather could be related to that crazy Viking.
"Yeah. Not proud of it either." Heather said before Gustav ran inside and hid.
"What are you doing?" Astrid asked folding her arms shortly before a Nightmare rushed past the Great Hall.
"I may or may not have angered a Monstrous Nightmare." Gustav answered with a scared smile. Astrid put the palm of her hand to her head.
"I'll take care of it." Heather remarked exiting the Hall. Astrid pulled Gustav to the table.
"We haven't been here a full day and you've almost burned something down." Astrid said while Gustav tapped the floor.
"I didn't mean to. I tried doing the hand thing like Hiccup did with Toothless." Gustav replied and Astrid rolled her eyes.
"You forgot one tiny detail. Earn its trust." Astrid remarked.
"So how can I learn how to train a dragon?" Gustav asked and someone knocked on the Hall's wall. They turned to see Aron Jokulson.
"I might be able to help." Aron remarked and Gustav bolted up.
"You can train me?" Gustav asked energetically and the Dragonless Rider nodded. "When can we start?"
"Morning. Training Grounds." Aron ordered and Gustav nodded. When the Rider left, the boy jumped around in joy. Astrid smirked seeing a possible Dragon Rider.
Next Morning
Astrid watched from a distance as Aron thought Gustav how to approach a dragon. Astrid took a breath knowing that this could be Berk's future. After seeing Gustav practice for several minutes, she went to the woods. Hiccup promised that the dragons on the island were tame and wouldn't harm her, but she kept her ax with her just in case. As she walked through the woods, she remembered when she was a kid practicing her ax throwing to behead dragons. When Astrid reached a small stream, she saw a Deady Nadder drinking from it. The Nadder turned and Astrid recognized it as the Nadder from Berk. The Dragon walked toward the Viking and she was stunned to see the dragon so close. She expected the Nadder to have forgotten Astrid but it looked at her with trust. Astrid raised her hand and watched as the Nadder put its snout in the Viking's hand. Astrid was surprised that it trusted her so. She guess that back on Berk it trusted her for escape, but they were far from Berk. It made little sense to Astrid. But the dragon trusted her. How far, she didn't know. But she hopes that she can learn more.
Two Days Later
Astrid put the saddle on the Deadly Nadder while Gustav put a saddle on a Monstrous Nightmare, he called Hookfang. The Nightmare bit Gustav softly not piercing the skin. Aron managed to bond with a new dragon, a Thunderdrum. She knew Aron had a Thunderdrum before, but he let it free to keep it safe from Viggo forces. But it was clear he still missed his first dragon. She heard Aron name the Thunderdrum, Thunder. Astrid still couldn't figure out a name for the Nadder. Eventually, the Riders jumped on the saddles. Astrid was still uncomfortable with dragon riding alone, but she was getting used to it. Gustav was excited and Aron walked in front of them on the Thunderdrum.
"Ready?" Aron asked and the two Berkians nodded. "Okay. Astrid. Did you name the Deadly Nadder?"
"Not yet." Astrid answered embarrassed.
"Better hurry. A storm is coming so we only got a little flight time." Aron remarked and Astrid decided to combine two words.
"Okay. How about Stormfly?" she asked and Aron nodded in approval.
"Okay. Let's get into the air." Aron said as they slowly flew into the air. Astrid was nervous as the three of them flew past the defenses. She turned her head to see Gustav cheering at the flight. She smiled as they flew up to the clouds. It was amazing in the air. Astrid still couldn't believe that it was possible to fly on a dragon. After some time with the wind rushing past them and Aron keeping an eye on the new Riders. Astrid felt that she could stay up here all day. But eventually the group has to head back to the Edge.
Later That Night
Heather sat at her desk in her hut with Windshear sleeping next to her bed. The Rider looked at the parchment on the desk wondering what she do. Dagur cared for only himself. She wanted to kill him and make him pay. But then the Berserkers will side with either Viggo or Drago. Then the Riders will have to face more warriors. Heather decided to grab the pen and write a letter to Dagur. A Raven will deliver the letter to the Berserker and then Heather will wait for her brother. When they meet she'll either let him live or kill him.
One Day Later
"Can no one beat me?" Dagur yelled at the Berserkers who faced him in challenges but were beaten. He let them live, but no one can match him in battle.
"Sir a Raven from the Dragon Riders." Savage reported raising a letter and Dagur grabbed the letter. "Sir are you sure it's a good idea to Allie ourselves with Dragon Riders?"
"Savage. Remind me who's the Chief of the Berserkers." Dagur ordered in a calm soft voice putting his arm around the light armored Savage in a soon threatening manner.
"You are sir." Savage answered and Dagur punched the man in the gut three times. Dagur shoved the Berserker to the ground.
"Never question me again!" Dagur yelled before stomping towards his hut. When he entered the Chief tore opened the letter.
To Dagur the Deranged,
This is Heather your sister by blood and blood alone. I am willing to meet with you on the island where you met with the Night Fury Rider in ten days time. Be there alone. If you're not there, I will leave and never return. This is your one and only chance.
Heather.
Dagur put the letter on his desk and smile knowing he was going to see his sister again.
Two Days Later
Astrid watched a Monstrous Nightmare load a cauldron of heated Gronkle Iron onto her ship. The plan was to keep the Iron heated using one of Hiccup's experimental inventions and now Astrid had three of them on her ship. Hiccup them load several special tools, Gronckle Iron weapons, launchers, glide bombs, canisters, and other stuff Astrid had no idea what they were. Gustav planned on flying Hookfang and Stormfly to the cove with Toothless while Astrid tells Stoick that he wanted to stay at the Edge. When it came time to leave, Astrid untied the boat as Gustav feed Hookfang a barrel of fish. In one week they'll be back on Berk and hopefully Hiccup would have made good progress on the island.
