Chapter XIV

On the day of my final exam the arena was decorated with flags and banners. Everyone came to see the event. My father was so exited he decided to give a speach.

,, If someone had told me that in a few short weeks, Hiccup would go from being, well... Hiccup, to placing first in dragon training... I would've tied him to a mast and shipped him off for fear he'd gone mad. Yes! And you know it!" he said laughing. Everyone laughed and cheared.

,, But here we are. And no one's more surprised or more proud than I am. Today, my boy becomes a Viking. He becomes one of us!" he said and everyone cheered and applaused. I heard all of it while standing on the entrance gate to the arena. I felt so nervous and scared. Then Rina came behind me.

,, Be careful with that dragon. " she said giving me a scared look.

,,It's not the dragon I'm worried about." I said looking at my dad who was watching from the best seat.

,, What are you going to do?" she asked.

,,What I should have done in the first place.". I looked at the crowd feeling my heartbeat increase.

,, Rina, if something goes wrong... just make sure they don't find Toothless and Heartbeat." I said looking her in the eyes. Her beautiful hazel eyes. She let out a tear and hugged me. I was in shock. She never cries.

,, I will. Just promise me it won't go wrong." she said between a few weak sobs. I hugged her back tightly but I couldn't promise her that. She turned her head around so her dad wouldn't see her tears.

,,It's time Hiccup. Knock them dead." he said and then went to join my dad. I entered the arena and saw all those people looking at me. My teammates were looking, Gobber, my dad, Rina and everyone else in the vilage. I locked my eyes with my dads and he nodded and smiled in approvement. I half-smiled and grabed my shield and my weapon of choise, a small knife.

,,I'm ready." I said and the doors were opened. A few moments of silence and then...

BOOM! Through the doors came a stream of sticky fire followed by a Monstrous Nightmare, coated in flames. It climbed the walls and chain enclosure like a bat, hissing at the provoking crowd and blasting fire. It spoted me and came down, leering and licking the flamin drool from its lips. The crowd grew silent, bracing for the big fight. With the Monstrous Nightmare's eyes locked upon me, I deliberately dropped my shield and dagger stepping away from them. The dragon paused, looking at me confused.

,, It's okay. It's okay." I said trying to calm it but it was still focused on something, my helmet. I took it off knowing there was no return now and tossed it aside.

,,I'm not one of them." I said staniding proud. I could hear whispers and gasps all around me but I didn't care. I avoided my dad's glare and remained focused on the Nightmare, holding my hand out. It paced around me, finaly calming down.

,,Stop the fight. " I could hear my dad say but everyone was too shocked.

,, No. I need you all to see this. They're not what we think they are. We don't have to kill them.". I was just prepared to touch the Nightmare but then...

,,I said STOP THE FIGHT!" he yelled and hacked his hammer against the iron enclosure, rattling the arena with a terrible reverberating clatter. Then everything went down-hill.

The Nightmare got spooked and almost took my hand off. The trance was ower and I barely moved out of the way before the dragon could hit me with his blast. I screamed in fear and ran for my life.

,,Hiccup!" I heard Rina yell, but I was focused on staying alive. But then I heard how the Nightmare got hit by something and saw a big stone hammer that was launched at it. I turned and saw none other than Rina. She picked up another one and threw it like a professional at the dragon making it come after her. She made a run for it and the I saw my dad open the gate door showing us to run to him.

,,This way!" he yelled and Rina made it but I didn't because a blast crossed my path. I tried to run again but the Nightmare caught me between its claws. I couldn't get away. Suddenly, a terrible scream came from above and I knew only one dragon that makes that sound.

There was just a glance of the Night Furies and then they blasted the cage and disappeared in the smoke.

When it cleared a bit we saw two saddled Night Furies battling the Nightmare. One Night Fury was bad enough but two? The Nightmare didn't stand a chanse. He was defeated and withdrawed to its cage. Rina came in running to the three of us, terrified.

,,How did you get here? " she asked the dragons but they were looking at the crowd that was coming down after them.

,,Never mind that! You have to get out of here! Now!" I yelled pushing them to leave but it was too late. Some of the Vikings captured Heartbeat while Rina tried to stop them and Toothless jumped my dad when he was him coming to us with a hammer.

,,Stop! NO!" I yelled when Toothle almost killed him. He stopped and looked at me not understanding. Rina looked at me scared. We had only one thing to do.

,,Toothless, here!" I called him and got on fast. We managed to push away the crowd and the people holding Heartbeat. The minute she was free, Rina got on and we went up in the air. Everyone gasped and pointed at us. My dad got up and looked at us with anger and disapointement in his eyes.

,,I should have known..." he said shaking his head.

,,Dad, I'm sorry. I can't be what you want me to be." I said while we were out of reach.

,,So everything in the ring. A trick? A lie?!" he stomped toward me.

,,I screwed up. I should have told you before now. Take this out on me, be mad at me, but please... just don't be angry at them." and those word were the ones that filled the cup.

,, The dragons? That's what you're worried about?! Not the people you almost killed?!" he yelled at me.

,, They were just protecting us! They're not dangerous." I tried to make it better but he just changed the view back like he saw it.

,, They've killed HUNDREDS OF US!".

,,And we've killed THOUSANDS OF THEM! They defend themselves, that's all! They raid us because they have to! If they don't bring enough food back, they'll be eaten themselves. There's something else on their island dad...it's a dragon like-".

,,Did you say island? " he asked looking at me surprised. Everyone's heads were directed at me Uh-oh.

,,You idiot." Rina hissed.

,, Did I?".

,, So you've been to the nest?! How did you find it?!" he asked more angry than before.

,, No... I didn't. Toothless and Heartbeat did. That's not the point! You can't... Dad. It's not what you think. You don't know what you're up against. It's like nothing you've ever seen." I tried to get in his way but he just ignored me like always.

,,For once in your life,WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME?!" but then he hit the ground with his hammer making a crack. I looked at my dad stunned. He turned around and in his eyes I could see the coldness of the worst blizzard.

,, You've thrown your lot in with them. You're not a Viking. Youre not my son." and with those words repeating in my head like an echo, we flew away leaving everything behind.

For the firs time in my life I felt worse than when I lost my mom . Now I lost my dad too.