The Dragon Riders stared at those two words carved in the trough for a long, long moment. Viggo allowed them. They had reached a daunting conclusion, one that needed time to soak in.

"H-hiccup?" Astrid's hand lifted slightly, preparing to touch something she couldn't see. "Can... can you hear us?"

The spear grated against the wood as a new word appeared: 'Yes.'

"Unbelievable," she breathed.

"Alright, now that we've reached the necessary mindset..." Viggo raised his fist again and banged against the side of the trough. He craned his neck to see the top. "We would really appreciate an appearance about now!"

The Riders stilled at the sound of sloshing water inside the trough. Two transparent, webbed hands, seemingly made of water, crept over the edge, soon followed by an equally clear forehead and two dark green pupils.

"Have you had true love's kiss yet?" It warbled.

"They're here to make the wish." Viggo gestured to Astrid and her friends, staring open mouthed at the Troll. "At least," he looked at them, "I assume you want to wish for Hiccup's return?"

"Please," Astrid addressed the being blinking down at her. "Is it true? Do you know what happened to Hiccup?"

The Well Troll visibly cringed. "Ah well, yeah, I kinda sorta ripped his soul from his body, but I assure you it was nothing personal. I didn't know the wide-spread effect it would have on you and yours, that is."

"But you can bring him back?"

"If you wish it."

"I do. I wish it!"

"Me too!" Snotlout stepped forward, then looked sheepish when everyone stared at him.

"I wish Hiccup was back, too." Fishlegs stepped closer, chin up.

"Me too/Same here," the twins said.

"We all wish that Hiccup was alive again." Viggo looked the Troll in its murky green eyes.

The Well Troll smiled, and turned its gaze on Hiccup, who returned it earnestly.

"These have been the most interesting of circumstances. I'm glad we met."

Hiccup chuckled and inclined his head.

"I suppose this is goodbye. I kinda hope I see you around sometime."

"No, offence," Hiccup stated, "but I really hope not."

Viggo chuckled under his breath, noting out of the corner of his eye how the Rider's watched them commune with an invisible person.

The Well Troll laughed. "Fair enough. Bye now."

Hiccup looked down at his body. His apparition began to fade. He looked up and met Viggo's eyes, and as he proceeded to vanish Viggo thought they shared a look of unspoken understanding. The culmination of the day's events - the weighty angst they had carried all these hours - lifted in those few seconds. They didn't look away until Hiccup finally disappeared from his sight.

"I will see you soon, Hiccup Haddock," he spoke to thin air. When he looked up, the Well Troll had gone, too.

There was a moment of silence where no one knew quite what to say. Astrid at last asked him, "Did it work?"

And Viggo could at last taken a deep breath and let it all out again. "It has."


He could breathe again.

He could breathe again, and he was never going to get tired of it. Hiccup inhaled the cold air as deeply as he could, feeling it fill his lungs. He let out a loud exhale, smiling, and leaned down to hug Toothless for the millionth time. The purr in the dragon's throat vibrated under him.

The evening clouds had turned dark blue against a silver sky, and they were heading back to Dragon's Edge. It felt amazing to be on dragonback again - to be reunited with Toothless again. And Toothless had been over the moon when Hiccup had opened his eyes once more.

Hiccup had blinked awake to the sight of Toothless' black scaly side inches away from him. Toothless' eyes had been closed, his lips had twitched at some nightmare he was having, and he'd looked exhausted, as if he'd been crying.

"Hey Bud."

Hiccup smiled at the memory of their celebration, full of leaping and laughing and hugging and crying. Not even after the Red Death had they been so joyful.

Up on the dark blue line of the horizon rose the mountain that crowned Dragon's Edge, and moments later the Edge itself rose into view. Hiccup released another breathe, unexplainable nerves settling in his stomach. He was home. He was back. The nightmare was over.

When the two of them swooped down over the base, the butterflies in his belly were wilder than ever. And then he saw Astrid standing outside the Clubhouse, watching the sky. Within seconds of him landing they had crashed into each others arms, and the gang had run out, and Hiccup was crying and everyone was crying and they all made a non-spoken agreement that that was ok and there was no need to bring it up later.

The night sky was navy blue and painted with constellations by the time everyone finished welcoming him back and hearing the whole story from his point of view, and only then did Hiccup come down from the high of it all and ask, Where's Viggo?


Hiccup, with Toothless practically stepping on his heels, strode across the landing platform to the large stable doors. He relished the touch of the cold metal under his palms as he pushed them open... savored the smell of dry wood and dragon permeating the air as he stepped inside. With a hand on Toothless' smooth head, he approached the sole occupied stable.

Viggo looked up from where he sat resting against the wall.

"Did you get any sleep?"

"A little." Viggo braced a hand against his knee and stood. "Although your friends could have offered me more comfortable quarters."

"Where else did you expect them to put you?"

"Fair point." Viggo's analytical gaze scanned the former ghost up and down. "And how are you feeling?"

"Honestly? Amazing." Hiccup released a small smile. "And exhausted."

"I think we can both relate on that front."

"I'm sure we can." Hiccup scratched Toothless' head, enjoying how the Night Fury leaned into it, then looked back at Viggo. "What I'm not sure we'll be able to agree on is what to do with you."

"The answer seems obvious to me," Viggo smirked.

"Does it?" Hiccup asked. "You killed me, Viggo."

"And I could have kept it that way, but I chose to return things to the way they were. I hoped you would follow suit."

"You say that like you did it out of the goodness of your heart. I think you forgot how much choice you had," Hiccup smirked, pretending to hold and examine a game piece.

Viggo actually had the decency to wince. A minute passed where neither of them spoke.

"So you actually plan to keep me locked up?"

"It would only be justice for every awful thing you've ever done to us and our dragons," Hiccup frowned.

He could see Viggo's mental gears turning, his irises flicking back and forth, before they refocused and he replied, "Then perhaps this is where our battle of wits comes to an end."

"Yeah," Hiccup said, not without suspicion.

Viggo chuckled and sat down, leaning against the wall once more. "It was a great run, my dear Hiccup. I could not have asked for a better adversary."

Something in Viggo's eyes proclaimed sincerity as he said it. Hiccup softened his voice for his answer. "Maybe I'll come and visit you on Outcast Island sometime."

Viggo sighed, and Hiccup felt he could read his thoughts. Images of rusty, dark, dank, cold cells and cruel guards flashed through his mind. No doubt the only stimulation offered were the wild screams and laughs of other prisoners and the scratching of Whispering Death's in their tunnels.

And for a moment Hiccup almost felt sorry for him, until he remembered that Viggo was intelligent enough to make a name for himself there. And maybe even escape.

"I would appreciate the company in such a place," Viggo said.

"Well maybe you'll get to share a bunk with your brother," Hiccup said, then the corner of his mouth turned up. "After all, my main adversary is locked away, and without their leader the Dragon Hunters are as good as defeated. I think events have turned out quite well."

"Yes, have your laugh. You have most certainly earned it." Viggo's dark eyes rolled with contempt.

"Goodnight, Viggo." Hiccup and Toothless turned toward the door to leave.

"Goodnight, Hiccup Haddock."


The Outcasts came two days later to collect Grimborn and take him to Outcast Island. Alvin stood on the dock, hands on his belt, and a crooked, wicked grin showing off his broken teeth as Astrid pressed their prisoner toward him, her hand tight on his bound wrists and her axe brandished. Viggo went quietly, a sullen expression on his face. Black circles hung around his eyelids but he at least looked less exhausted than he had two days ago, his eyes somehow still sharp as ever. He and Hiccup met each others gaze as they crossed paths a few feet from the exchange place.

"So this is our new tenant, eh?" Alvin laughed, voice as jagged as his teeth. He brought his giant hand crashing down on Viggo's shoulder, forcing the man to his knees with a grunt.

"Hey be careful with him, Alvin," Hiccup warned. "He's smarter than you."

"We'll see about that," Alvin growled in Viggo's face. "Get up!"

Viggo was yanked to his feet, and Hiccup noticed him stumbling and shuffling for a noticeable length of time. He managed to stand stock still, and then Alvin shoved him forward. "Let's get going."

They brought him onto their warship, Viggo glancing back past the skulls and bones adorning the prow. He was ushered below deck, the ship weighed anchor, and the Outcasts set off out to sea.

And just like that, Viggo was gone.

"I can't believe it's finally over," Astrid murmured, gazing at the horizon where the prison ship had vanished.

Over. After many long months of near constant battle it was done. Viggo vanquished. The reality didn't seem to want to settle, as if it were natural law that they were destined to challenge each other forever.

By chance, Hiccup's eyes lowered slightly and caught sight of a blurry image on the ground. He looked down.

A smiley face drawn in the dirt grinned back up at him.

Hiccup's gaze jolted back up to the horizon, flashbacks of Viggo's over exaggerated "stumbling" adding to his whiplash.

"What's wrong?"

Hiccup didn't acknowledge Astrid's question at first. His lips parted, but it took another moment for him to speak.

"I have a feeling this isn't the last we've seen of our friend Viggo Grimborn."


Aaaaaaand I thought I had posted this at Christmas time. Ooops. :( It was finished I just didn't post it! I'm so sorry everyone!

Thank you Guest for your lovely review! Keeping the characters voices in character is what I strive for and I'm so happy you think I achieved that! :) And a huge thanks to Query4, Hpfan, everyone who stuck around! I'm sorry updates were so infrequent and that I freaking MISSED this chapter, but know your reviews are what got me to the end! Sending love to you all! Thanks again so, SO much!