Hiccup sat outside for what seemed like hours, it was just beginning to get dark and cloudy which was odd since there hadn't been a cloud all day. He could hear his people having a good time, the kids all running around and playing together. Hiccup finally got up and went to move back inside the hall as it was now dinner time and he'd always give a Snoggletog speech about how great a year it'd been. As he opened the doors and walked inside, Astrid noticed him. She felt bad for him in a way, he was dealing with so much at once. The Red Death, losing his wife, having three children to take care of...how did he manage it all?
No sooner than he got inside and to his spot to quiet people down, one of his patrol men ran inside panting. "Chief!" He yelled frantically. Everyone stopped what they were doing and faced him as Hiccup approached the guard and saw it was Asger. The fear was written all over his face and Hiccup knew what it meant, his eyes narrowed.
"Its her, isn't it?" Hiccup asked.
"2 miles before she enters our waters sir..." Asger panted. Hiccup cursed himself, this couldn't of happened at a worse time with more than half their dragons gone for mating season. He could feel everyone's eyes on him, waiting for his orders.
"Daddy...Is that mean dragon back again?" Runa asked tugging on his sleeve.
"Yes...yes she is baby...But don't worry. You're safe...I'll make sure of it." Hiccup said firmly as he faced his people now, the looks of worry on their faces. "Dreki tribe, the time has come. I need you all to stay calm...We've been preparing for this for 3 years people...It ends tonight!" Hiccup announced.
"Wait wait...The queen is here!?" Snotlout exclaimed.
"She will be soon..." Hiccup replied trying to stay as calm as possible.
"Well what do we do!"
"Our dragons are gone!"
"We're defenseless!"
Hiccup rolled his eyes now as he snapped his finger and Toothless roared out to make everyone be quiet. "That is enough of that. Now that I have your attention...this is what we're going to do. First being...no panicking! Second...Asger, round up the defense teams. Cloud, Father...Get these people to their homes safely." Hiccup ordered them.
"Aye chief!" Asger said rushing outside.
"Right. Everyone follow me!" Alvin called out.
"What about us? We can help too." Astrid jumped in now not wanting to seem useless. Hiccup looked at them, what could they do? They weren't trained to ride dragons or handle the queen. His eyes fell on his children now who were whimpering in fear.
"Protect my children." Hiccup ordered.
"B–but the queen..." Gobber said. "You can't fight her alone..." Gobber added.
"That dragon is MINE to take out. Do you understand me? I've waited 3 years for this and no one is taking it from me. That dragon took my wife, my children's mother. You wanted something to do, I gave you something to do. My father and Cloud are busy with the village, this is what I'm asking you to do. Protect my children, Astrid. I don't know what it is about you, but they trust you and that's hard to come by. I want them safe...And I know you can make sure of that." Hiccup said firmly.
Astrid was nervous, he was placing his children's safety with her!? That was a big job. "Sir! The teams are ready and she just crossed in to our waters." Asger said coming to the doors again.
"I don't have time to wait on an answer. Can you do this or not?!" Hiccup asked loudly.
"Yes, we can." Astrid nodded to him.
"Good. Runa, Viggo, Thora...come here kids..." Hiccup said crouching down to their level now. The hooligans watched as the kids hugged him tightly, it was almost heartbreaking to watch. These kids lost their mother to the red death, and they were terrified to lose their father too.
"Daddy...Please don't go..." Runa pleaded to him.
"I have to baby. But I'll be back soon, I promise." Hiccup said trying to sound confident.
"Daddy she'll take you away like she took mommy! I don't want to lose my daddy too! Don't fight her..." Viggo cried now. Hiccup's eyes widened and then he closed them, he had to do this. He didn't care if the hooligans found out who he was now, Hiccup reached for his mask and pulled it off his head dropping it to the ground with a clang as they gasped in complete shock at who they saw under that mask.
"Hi–Hiccup?..." Astrid breathed out with wide eyes. They could believe it, not a one of them could but it was him. Same green eyes and auburn hair as 6 years ago. He ignored her and faced his kids now placing a kiss on their foreheads. It really was him, he was chief of Dragon's Edge and these kid's father. He'd been here the whole time, and hiding under the mask after telling them as Strike that 'Hiccup' had killed himself 4 years ago. How had they not seen it before? The kids except Runa looked exactly like him and Cami from the picture on the shield they used for memorial earlier.
"Kids...Listen..." He sighed now looking at them softly. "I promise you...On my life. I will be back. That big old dragon doesn't scare daddy...I promise she won't take me away from you. Nothing ever could. You kids are my life and the only reason I am still breathing. Now...I have to go take care of her. I have to protect the village, its my job. These...nice people are going to keep you safe for me...Okay?" Hiccup said calmly to them.
"You promise you'll come back daddy?" Thora asked.
"I give my word as your father, and as chief of the tribe." Hiccup replied smiling softly. Hiccup stood up and faced his former tribe now, all of them still in shock to see him alive and standing before them.
"Y–you're...alive?" Stoick asked stepping towards him. Hiccup backed up from his reach with cold eyes.
"Don't touch me. Just because you've realized I'm alive doesn't mean a damn thing has changed. You still cast me out 7 years ago, and as far as you are all concerned...I am dead to you." Hiccup retorted.
"Chief!" Asger yelled again.
"I don't have time for this...unwanted reunion. I have a dragon to kill. Protect my kids...That's all I want from any of you." Hiccup whistled out loudly as his Night Fury ran over, Hiccup jumped on his back and positioned his feet in the stirrups and opened Toothless's tail with a sigh. He looked back at his kids who were crying, this hurt Runa the most because she was with Cami when she was hurt by the Red Death.
"Daddy please!" Runa cried out.
"I promise I'll come back. Don't worry...Your mother is with me always, she'll keep me safe. Be good for daddy, can you promise me that?" Hiccup asked them, they nodded to him. "Lets go bud! Time to take her out!" Hiccup called as Toothless roared and flew out of the hall at top speed and in to the air just as the Red Death roared to alert people she was there.
"Hiccup...has been...the chief of this tribe the whole time?" Gobber asked confused now, they all were. Strike well now Hiccup had said that Hiccup killed himself 4 years ago, why didn't Hiccup tell them the truth!? That's why he always wore the mask around them, to keep who he was a secret. Alvin and Cloud came in now, as Stoick faced them.
"You knew he was my son the whole time!" Stoick yelled.
"There is no time to discuss this! The chief has given his orders and that's for everyone to get to safety of their homes. Lets move." Alvin ordered.
"That's my son out there!" Stoick boomed.
"Wrong. That's MY son out there and he knows what he's doing. He's been preparing for this fight for 3 years since that dragon took his wife from him. Now get going, you'll be taking shelter in Cloud's home with her." Alvin said.
"We don't have to listen to you!" Snotlout argued back now as they all rushed outside, Hiccup's kids following them. Hiccup landed in front of them angrily.
"But as long as you're on my island you do have to listen to me. Now move your asses and do as my father says!" Hiccup growled at them. Cloud rushed over to them now, she saw Hiccup without his mask and took hers off as well.
"Hiccup don't go! You can't face her alone!" Valka begged. "I won't lose you son!"
"You won't lose me mom. Take everyone to the bunkers, now." Hiccup commanded.
"Va–Valka?" Stoick said now with wide eyes. Another roar from the red death got Hiccup's attention.
"Chief, where do you want us?" Asger asked quickly.
"Toothless, get their attention for me bud..." Toothless then roared out making the area fall silent. "Listen up Dreki tribe. I'm gonna deal with her highness...I want all of you to follow my father and mother to the bunkers. Get the dragons put away, everyone is grounded until I give the okay its clear. Understand!?" Hiccup ordered them.
"Aye chief!" A few called back beginning to ground the dragons and get them put away.
"But Hiccup...!" Valka tried to protest again, Hiccup glared.
"That was an order, mother! Move these people to the bunkers! I took an oath to defend this village when I became the chief 6 years ago...This is my job so let me do it! Now take the Hooligan tribe and my kids to safety." Hiccup said angrily. They froze looking at him sadly now, "You know what this means to me mom. That dragon took Camicazi from me, she took my wife and my kid's mother. I have waited patiently for 3 fucking years to do this, to get my revenge and kill the one dragon I'll ever kill in my entire life...So don't you dare try and stop me." Hiccup said as Valka had tears in her eyes, she stepped back nodding to him. Hiccup looked at Toothless again. "Lets finish this..." Hiccup said to him, Toothless darted off in to the sky again as the queen was coming in to view.
"I–I don't...understand...Y–you're...alive...after 22 years?" Stoick asked.
"And this is hardly the time for a joyful reunion, Stoick. Our son is risking his life against a power hungry dragon, and I have orders to follow." Valka retorted hatefully towards her husband.
"Gramma...Is...daddy going to be okay?" Runa asked through her tears.
"Yes children, he will be. When your daddy makes a promise...he always keeps it...Now lets hurry along to my house." Valka smiled softly at them.
"So wait...She's...your wife? But Alvin and her are Hiccup's parents? I'm so confused!" Snotlout held his head and frustration.
"The chief will explain when he's ready. Now move it." Alvin stated pushing them along but they stopped when they heard Toothless's roar and when they looked they saw Hiccup and Toothless crash in to the water.
"Daddy!" The children cried out in fear. Astrid's eyes searched the water for them, after 2 minutes they emerged on the beach coughing hard from water intake.
"Hiccup! Are you alright?" Astrid called to him.
"For the love of Thor, get inside! You think 6 years would of taught you to listen to me!" Hiccup grumbled as he got back on Toothless and they took to the sky again. "Alright you over grown lizard...You want us...come and get us!" Hiccup taunted the beast. It roared at him following him through the sky, Hiccup whipped around seeing it step on the beach where he just was, something else he saw was that Astrid was on the beach too. He had a flash of Cami for a brief moment before shaking it from his mind.
"ASTRID!" Runa screaming out calling to her, she looked up seeing the red death behind her she gasped with wide eyes. Hiccup swooped around and zipped through just before the dragon could lower its paw on Astrid and had Toothless grab her. Astrid's eyes opened feeling like she was flying, she looked up and saw Toothless and Hiccup.
"Did you get her?" Hiccup asked Toothless who crooned happily. "Good job bud." Hiccup smiled as he moved towards the rest of the group and dropped Astrid off before taking off again, from a high point Hiccup noticed something he hadn't before. This dragon had wings and that's when he got a brilliant but stupid idea. "That thing has wings...okay. Lets see if she can use them!" Hiccup yelled out, Toothless screeched and whipped around to dive bomb at the red death. As soon as they were close enough, "Fire!" Hiccup ordered as Toothless fired a blast at the large dragon forcing it to fall over with a roar.
The red death extended its wings now and flapped them to get in the air. "Think that did it?" Hiccup asked looking back to see her following them. "Well...she can fly...At least she's off the island." Hiccup sighed in relief as he looked forward again. "Alright time to disappear! Come on bud!" Hiccup urged as he changed the tails position and they flew straight up in to the darkened clouds.
"I get it...He's using the Night Furies black body to hide in the sky...brilliant!" Fishlegs announced with a smile.
As they were headed up into the clouds, she opened her mouth. "Here it comes!" Hiccup warned as they moved left to avoid it and disappeared in to the darkness.
"Wh–where is he!" Astrid asked looking around, still trying to process she was almost squished by that dragon and Hiccup had saved her. Her, one of the people he hated most for ratting him out on Berk and he had saved her without a second thought.
"He's using Toothless's body to hide in the darkness of the clouds!" Alvin stated as the village began to cheer for their chief.
It was silent for a few moments as all they could hear was the roaring of the red death and then they heard Toothless's sound, the whistling through the air. They saw purple blasts everywhere emitting from the clouds. "A-ha! Smart lad! He's using the dragons size against it by attacking it with the blasts and flying off before it can turn to fire back!" Gobber exclaimed with a smile.
The red death grew angry as it shot an extended blast of fire around the area while Toothless and Hiccup were flying, "Watch out!" Hiccup yelled, which didn't work because they flew right past but the fire caught on Toothless's leather tail and began to burn. Hiccup looked back to see it, "Okay...times up. Lets see if this works..." Hiccup prayed. He narrowed his eyes as he flew past the queen. "Come on! Is that the best you can do!" He yelled at her, Toothless roared at her as they dive bombed down and the queen followed them. "Stay with me buddy, just a little bit longer..." Hiccup said.
"There they are!" Valka pointed towards the sky. Hiccup put his hand to his mouth and let out a dragon call as the bewilderbeast emerged.
"Toothless, tell him to cover the area in a thick ice!" Hiccup ordered his friend. Toothless roared out to the bewilderbeast as it roared back and began icing over the water in severely thick sheet of ice. Hiccup heard the hissing of the gas forming in the queen's mouth. "Hold Toothless...NOW!" Hiccup yelled, Toothless whipped around on his back and fired a blast in to the queen's mouth making it backfire. Hiccup and Toothless turned around and flew past her heading up back as the queen opened her wings to try and stop but holes formed from the earlier blasts and she continued to fall until she landed on the sheet of ice face first causing and explosion.
"Where is daddy!" Viggo yelled.
"Flying up the queen's tail to escape the blast." Alvin pointed to them now. Hiccup and Toothless headed straight up, Hiccup pressed on the petal but the tail piece broke off.
"No..." He said looking up and seeing the tail in sight. "NO!" Hiccup yelled out, to late. They hit the tail and Hiccup fell back off of Toothless who roared with worry for him and turned around diving after him, both headed in to the flames of the explosion.
"HICCUP!" Astrid yelled with worry.
"DADDY!" The three children cried.
"SON!" Alvin, Stoick, and Valka yelled out. They were engulfed in the flames, the villagers all gasped at the sight. What happened to their chief? Did he survive? Who could survive falling in to an explosion that large? No one. After 10 minutes the explosion faded to just smoke and falling ash around the village. Sunflower flew over and used her wings to blast the smoke away and then there before their eyes Toothless laid there but no Hiccup.
"Hiccup!..." Alvin called out.
"Hiccup!" Valka yelled.
"Daddy!...Daddy where are you!" Runa cried out.
"Son!" Alvin yelled again, that's when they heard Toothless warble lowly and begin to move around. Alvin rushed over with Valka. Stoick followed with the rest of the Hooligans, everyone looked down sadly. Was their chief dead? Did he incinerate in the blast?
"This is...my fault...I–I never should of...let him go up there..." Valka cried in to her hands. Alvin put his arm around her comfortingly.
"Don't say...such things, Valka...You know...nothing was stopping him...He's been after this dragon to long...And he beat her...finally took her out." Alvin replied rubbing her back.
"I did this...I–I never should of let him go that day...I was a fool..." Stoick dropped to his knees. Toothless opened his eyes looking at the group, he saw the kids crying and then opened his wings up to reveal Hiccup between his legs and unconscious.
"Daddy!" Runa said quickly. Alvin moved over now skidding on his knees as he pulled Hiccup from the Night Fury's hold and placed his ear to his chest and listened closely. A relieved smile came to his lips.
"He's alive...You brought him back alive!" Alvin said to Toothless happily.
"Th'atta boy, Toothless..." Valka said rubbing Toothless's head and wiping her eyes.
"Thank you...for saving my son." Alvin said putting his hand on Toothless's head now.
"Hate to be that guy but uh...I don't think he's gonna make it with an injury like that..." Gobber pointed to Hiccup's left leg which was now...gone.
"EIRA!" Alvin called out, she came running through and looked over Hiccup.
"He'll live. Bring him to my house, quickly now." Eira demanded, without another word Alvin picked up Hiccup and rushed him to Eira's house.
"Gramma...is–daddy going...to be okay?" Thora asked through her tears.
"Yes...yes he will its just...going to be a long recovery..." Valka replied to her, the kids all hugged her as she then stood up and began to lead them home. Stoick looked at the others, he was beyond confused. In under an hour he found out not only was his son alive and chief of this island but also his wife who he believed had been dead for 21 years was alive and living here as well.
"S–so what do we do now?" Fishlegs asked.
"Savage, take them to the inn. It's been a long day...Updates about our chief will be released as we get them. For now...it is about 6:30 and everyone is tired. Food will be brought to you in your rooms...Good evening." Valka stated calmly. Savage nodded and Valka walked away, though Stoick didn't want her too. He did understand a lot just happened and as much as he didn't want to wait he would have to.
"Aye Valka..." Savage said, "Come along you lot." Savage motioned them to follow him back to the inn. Savage led them in to Stoick's room. "Your food will be brought soon..." Savage said as he then walked away from them. First thing they did was all find a place to sit with the news, in hopes it'd settle with them but it didn't. They couldn't believe it, Hiccup had been Strike this whole time? He was chief of Dragons Edge? His mother was alive after 21 years of being believed to be dead? Nothing made sense and many questions to be asked. There we many unanswered questions at the moment but they all had to wait for news about Hiccup.
There was no update all night and everyone was beginning to worry. Finally though Savage returned and told them it was lights out and an update about the chief would be given in the hall at breakfast. Hearing that, the group seemed to be a little more relieved and decided it was enough so after they'd eaten and just sat around trying to answer the questions themselves but ended up with nothing, they went to bed. They all ended up staying in the same room. Some on the bed, some on the floor or bench. It was nothing but waiting now. Its all anyone could do.