Aaaahhhh, people! :D I love you all! :D Shout-outs:
wikelia: Haha, yeah! I loved the Lethal Viper! :D
ShadowSpirit020: That he is. That he is. :)
SilverGhostWolf: Hahaha, thanks! :D
Blue Angel: Aw, thanks! I'm glad you enjoy my stories! :) I'm working to learn Spanish right now as a second language. I think other languages are really cool. :) Thanks for the review! :D
Crystallion12: True that. :)
SnivyDragon: Haha, yeah, I'm not sure if Hiccup's going to name it, because technically, it's not trained; he and Hiccup share a mutual respect. But I'm sure any name Hiccup could come up with would be SOOO cool (*cough* *cough* Eyelicker *cough*) XD
bella: Yesssss, Tuffnut and Snotlout! XD And who is Knife? And what is Viggo's plan? So many questions and so little answers. XD
Animals Rule: It's a mutual respect. They respect each other. The Lethal Viper is not trained. :)
Forever Me: You make a good point, but it's a bit different than that. The Lethal Viper and Hiccup share mutual respect; the Lethal Viper respects Hiccup for releasing him from the hunters, and Hiccup respects the Lethal Viper. They aren't "friends" or "acquaintances". The Seashocker and Fishlegs were "friends" (or "acquaintances"). That was a brilliant question! Thanks! :D
DG-Agent37-Lover: That's totally fine! No worries! :D Yeah, there've been some high winds where I live lately and I keep silently chanting, "Don't die, internet, don't die, internet..." XD A tiny hint as to who Knife is...? Eh...well...I put one in the chapter. :D Don't want to spoil too much. XD And yeah, Tuffnut and Snotlout...HAVE SOME FAITH IN HICCUP. XD HONESTLY. XD Tuffnut's punishment...NO EXPLOSIONS FOR A WEEK. *Tuffnut screams NOOO in the distance* XD Thanks for the review! :D
midnightsky0612: We'll find out who Knife is...sooooon. XD
Galaxy-Mitsuko-Pegasus: Hahaha! :D Yeah, Venomous Vorpent, Lethal Viper...same lethal venom, different dragon. XD Yep, I can promise this will be interesting. :)
Guest: Yeah, not a Flightmare. :)
Knife weaved through the forest, stepping between trees and making his way towards the oceanside. Docked on the sandy shores of Dragon's Edge was a single dragon hunter ship. On the decks of the ship stood Ryker, Viggo, and seven other dragon hunters of Viggo's crew.
"Ah, Knife," said Viggo, smiling pleasantly. "How goes the game?"
"The game goes well, Viggo," snarled Knife. "But we still have no idea where the Dragon Eye is, and Hiccup will never tell you where it is, on any account."
"That will not matter," said Viggo. "When the time is right, and when the board is properly set, there will be no need for Hiccup Haddock to tell us the location of the Dragon Eye. He'll hand-deliver it to us personally."
Ryker smiled cruelly. Behind his mask, Knife growled.
"Here is the next riddle, should Hiccup pass this task," said Viggo, holding a scroll out to Knife, along with a small bottle of wax and the dragon hunter's insignia seal. "Once you read it, seal it."
Knife unrolled the scroll, read it over, memorized it, mentally figured out the meaning of the riddle, and rolled it up once again. He sealed it with wax and handed the seal back to Viggo, who took it and stored it in his satchel.
"Present the scroll to Hiccup Haddock should he succeed in his task," said Viggo.
Knife nodded curtly and spun on his heel, stomping back into the forest.
"Oh, and one more thing," said Viggo, and Knife turned again. "I needn't remind you," said Viggo, "the consequences should you fail to bring Hiccup's task to him."
Knife shivered for a moment, and then nodded and headed away.
...
The Lethal Viper stood in the center of the Clubhouse with the other riders and dragons standing around it. Outside, the sun was setting, and night would soon be upon them. Hiccup pressed his hand against Viper's muzzle. "You ready?" he asked, and Viper nodded.
Astrid walked up behind him, axe strapped to her back. "Hiccup, just be careful," she said. "You don't know what kind of dragon the hunter is going to be riding. There wasn't anything in the rules that said their dragon had to be untrainable and without flame."
"I'll be careful, Astrid," said Hiccup. "You know me. We've got it covered."
Toothless bumped Hiccup from behind, and Hiccup turned away from Viper and towards the Night Fury. "I know, Toothless," said Hiccup, "I don't like it either, but we don't have another choice. I'll be fine."
Toothless growled, still clearly not reassured, but he didn't protest again. Hiccup mounted Viper, and the poisonous dragon shot out of the door of the Clubhouse, spread its wings, and took to the sky.
Fishlegs stepped up beside Astrid, watching in the light of the dying sun as Hiccup disappeared from view. "If anyone can take down Knife," said Fishlegs, "it's Hiccup."
"I know, Fishlegs," said Astrid, looking down at the amber necklace from Hiccup still strung around her neck; the arrowhead from an encounter with the hunters still remained embedded in it. "I know."
I hope so, she added silently.
…
Hiccup leaned over Viper's neck, the black night sky glowering above him. The stars sparkled, and the faint light of the moon supplied Hiccup with just enough light to see his way around. He glanced back over his shoulder; he couldn't see Dragon's Edge from here, which meant they had flown a considerably long distance.
"Okay, Viper," Hiccup said, "let's see if the hunter shows up…"
Viper instantly screeched to an obedient halt and looked around warily, eyes scanning the area for any sign of intruders. Hiccup did the same, sword held in hand, shield over his back.
"I don't see anything," Hiccup said.
"Look again, I beseech," came a shout from behind, and Viper spun around. Knife occupied the sky behind them, mounted on a Whispering Death.
Of course.
It just figured that Hiccup's opponent would be riding a Whispering Death. But something was obviously wrong; a large shackle was chained around the Whispering Death's neck, and long chains attached to the shackle were looped around Knife's wrists.
Hiccup's glare darkened. Viper narrowed his eyes. "I'm here!" Hiccup shouted at Knife. "Now what do you want?"
"Did you not read the message?" said Knife, drawing two swords, one for each hand. "You must fight me."
"But what's the point of that?" said Hiccup. "Fighting? I'm not going to kill you, and Viggo isn't going to want you to kill me!"
Knife studied him curiously. "True," he said, "which is why it is not to the death. It is to the point of death. The first one to pin their opponent to the point of no escaping wins the competition. The one pinned without hope of escaping will lose. Do we have a deal?"
"We have a deal," said Hiccup.
And the competition began. Knife swooped on his Whispering Death and made straight towards Hiccup, swords raised, chains yanking and forcing the dragon to do his will. Viper dove, and the Whispering Death soared over them.
"Okay, Viper," Hiccup said lowly, to ensure that Knife didn't hear him. "Let's go in low." He looked at the chains and the giant shackle looped around the Whispering Death's neck. "Hmm…I wonder..."
Viper swerved and shot in Knife's direction, towards the chained, unwilling Whispering Death and the hunter controlling him. Hiccup raised his sword, aiming straight for the chain, but Knife met his blow with one of his own swords, parrying with a clash. Viper then turned and swooped upwards, flying higher into the sky, giving Hiccup time to formulate a new plan.
"Okay, we need a new plan, and fast...erm...disarming!" Hiccup said, brightening up when he thought of something. "We're not going to be able to get near those chains until we disarm Knife. Let me think, let me think…" He looked down at the ocean beneath them; falling from this height would result in death, even if one fell into the water.
"Alright," he said, "let's circle back around. Whispering Deaths can shoot spines from any part of its body, right?"
Viper growled, which could have meant anything, but Hiccup didn't need the clarification.
"Well, let's see if we can't draw in its fire," Hiccup said. He glanced over his shoulder; Knife and the Whispering Death were right behind them, gaining on them fast.
"Viper, head for the sea stack!" Hiccup directed, pointing. "There's one up ahead!"
Viper roared his agreement and shot towards the sea stack. It stood towering from the water like a giant pillar, bigger than most sea stacks Hiccup was used to seeing.
"Okay," said Hiccup, "get close, but not too close." He looked over his shoulder again; Knife and the Whispering Death were getting closer. The Whispering Death raised his tail; Hiccup watched Stormfly enough to know what was about to happen.
"Viper, go down!" Hiccup shouted, and Viper dove, and not a second too late. The Whispering Death flicked its tail, and ten of its sharp spines embedded themselves into the sea stack, where Viper and Hiccup had been hovering moments before.
"Okay!" Hiccup said, sheathing his sword and taking up his Gronckle Iron shield. "Let's see if Knife wants a taste of his own medicine!" He yanked one of the Whispering Death spines from the side of the sea stack, switched his shield to crossbow mode, and fastened the spine into the launcher.
He took aim, straight for Knife's swords, and fired. Knife dodged this easily.
"Is that the best you can do, Hiccup Haddock?" said Knife tauntingly.
"Oooh, don't worry," said Hiccup, taking another spine and loading it into the crossbow. "I'm just getting started." He fired the second spine, and Knife yanked on the Whispering Death's chains to force it to move out of the way. The Lethal Viper growled harshly at Knife; he, clearly, was furious at seeing another dragon being treated this way, as was Hiccup.
"Let's aim for the chains," Hiccup said, loading another spine into the launcher, and he fired. Knife knocked away the spine with his sword, but this time, it caught him off balance.
Hiccup, seeing his chance, took another spine, loaded it as fast as he could, and fired at one of Knife's two swords. The spine slammed into the blade and knocked the weapon right out of his hand.
"Yes!" Hiccup said, loading another spine into the crossbow and taking aim. "One down, one to go!"
Knife looked at Hiccup through the mask, but didn't move against him, still trying to regain his balance. Hiccup took careful aim, pulled back the trigger, and fired. The second sword was knocked out of Knife's hand, and Knife, at the last second, clasped the Whispering Death's chains to keep from falling backwards off the dragon.
"Yes, it worked!" said Hiccup, and he strapped his shield to his back and drew his sword once again. "Now get me in close. Let's see if Gronckle Iron can't break those chains."
Viper nodded and raced forward, rage glowing in his red eyes. The Whispering Death recoiled backwards, and Knife was thrown off balance once again. Hiccup raised his sword.
Now was his chance.
He slashed long and hard, striking one of the two chains, and the chain SNAPPED! The Whispering Death roared at Hiccup, but then, it realized what Hiccup was doing, and stopped. Knife stared down as the chain fell from the Whispering Death, into the ocean below.
"Come on, Viper!" Hiccup said. "Almost there! Circle back around! Break the second chain! Come on!"
Viper growled in agreement and swooped. Knife reached out at the last second and grabbed Hiccup's wrist, just before Hiccup snapped the second chain. Knife pulled Hiccup off Viper's back and dangled him over the side of the Whispering Death while Viper, with a roar when he realized what had happened, circled back around.
"It's a long way down, isn't it, Hiccup Haddock?" Knife taunted, while Hiccup struggled to break the chain with his sword. Knife leaned forward. "Looks like I have you pinned."
Hiccup imagined Knife smiling behind his mask.
But then, the Whispering Death suddenly roared in fury and thrashed; Knife lost his balance, and Hiccup, at the very last second, swiped with his sword. The Whispering Death's second chain broke.
The Whispering Death was free.
Knife released Hiccup's wrist when the Whispering Death thrashed again, and before Hiccup fell very far, the Lethal Viper swooped beneath and caught him. "I can't believe that actually worked," Hiccup said.
He turned to look. The Whispering Death, still fighting to get Knife off its back, flew straight towards the sea stack, shaking with all its might while Knife held on for dear life. Viper turned and shot after them.
The Whispering Death and Knife crash landed on the sea stack. Knife was thrown from the dragon's back, and the Whispering Death shook the loose chains off its body, struggling with the shackle around its neck.
Viper landed a few feet away, and Hiccup dismounted and charged over before Knife had a chance to stand. Hiccup thrust forward his sword, aiming it straight at Knife's chest.
"I've pinned you," said Hiccup. "You lose."
Behind them, Viper slashed one talon at the shackle around the Whispering Death's neck, and the last of the metal fell free. The Whispering Death roared in gratitude at Viper and Hiccup, and then, both the Lethal Viper and the Whispering Death turned and growled furiously at Knife.
"Yes," said Knife. "You win, Hiccup Haddock." From his belt, he pulled a scroll. "Your final task," said Knife, handing it over. Hiccup grabbed it and withdrew his sword, allowing Knife to stand.
"What is Viggo planning?" Hiccup demanded.
"Once you complete the third task," said Knife, "you will discover it. But for now, we must part ways. I will see you soon, Hiccup Haddock."
Hiccup glared at him. He thought about taking Knife back to Dragon's Edge and interrogating him for all he knew, but Hiccup knew Viggo wouldn't take kindly to that. Berk would be attacked if Hiccup sabotaged any of the tasks.
"Alright," Hiccup said, withdrawing his sword entirely and sheathing it at his belt. "Soon."
"Soon," confirmed Knife with a nod, and Hiccup turned, mounted Viper, and took to the sky. The Whispering Death turned and followed him away.
"Soon, Hiccup…" repeated Knife slowly. "Soon…"