I hate the feeling that you aren't getting anywhere.

After flying for a good week or two, we were still looking for Drago Bludvist the madman and his partner Viggo Grimborn the genius. Yeah, we had learned more about them. But we were no closer to finding them.

It was frustrating.

The four of us were over a cloud cover now, flying in no particular direction. Richard remained silent. So did Toothless. Inferno was the strong silent type. He rarely said anything.

I was feeling my frustration build inside me until I was practically a volcano ready to erupt. It finally began to, a growl rising in my throat. I finally released it, roaring frustratedly and waving my arms in the air.

"Aaaaaaaahhhg!"

I fell back on Toothless's spine and sighed.

Richard spoke up. "You okay?"

Not really.

I grumbled under my breath and sat back up.

Richard kept his gaze fixed on me, waiting for a reply. I knew I had to give him one, or he would never stop worrying.

"Fine." I all but growled.

"Uh, no, not fine. You just had a freak-out." He let go of Inferno and crossed his arms, staring with one eyebrow raised.

"I did not have a freak-out. I just... I'm frustrated." I grumbled.

"Um.. Hiccup?"

"Matter closed." I said, not willing to admit how much it was getting to me.

"No, Hiccu.."

"I'm not freaking out!" I shouted.

I turned to look at Richard, who was pointing at something behind me. I turned around and immediately regretted it.

A huge AI was flying parallel to us, a rider in black armor and a red cape on it's back. The AI resembled a four winged owl. More flying AI began to surround us. Toothless growled deeply. I knew that if I got even a scratch, he might decide to kill all of them.

This wasn't good.

Drago had found us.

Me and Richard were separated from our mounts moments later. Toothless screeched in fury as I was taken from his back into a couple of cold, metal claws. But they were being carried too moments later, limp from being shut off.

I felt my heart beating in my chest. I was feeling dizzy from fear, frustration, and anger. This was going to be bad.

We approached something that could only be described as awesome and scary.

A huge metal fortress. Made from scrap parts of all sizes and tipped over buildings, looking like a frozen metal explosion, sticking dramatically out of the ground. My breath left my mouth. This was scary.

We flew straight into it, and me and Richard were dropped ungraciously on the metal floor. We were surrounded by AI of all shapes and sizes, Toothless and Inferno not among them or anywhere to be seen. Richard pulled out a sword of my invention and lit it up. The sword was capable of a lot. I motioned him to put it away. We didn't want to get our captors mad. He nodded and did so.

I looked around. The AI were slowly advancing, growling at us. I moved to one and held out a hand. A gesture of peace that most of them appreciated when not under the control of a supercomputer.

The AI stopped making noises and stared at me.

"It's okay. I'm not an enemy. I'm not going to hurt you."

It moved forward and was about to place its metal nose into my hand. It stopped suddenly when a noise from behind me startled us. Richard hissed through his teeth. We turned to see the same figure we had seen outside. The leader.

He was a lithe shape covered in body armor and wearing a dramatic cape. He stalked us, moving in circles around us. Richard looked nervous. I was shaking.

"Who are you? Drago Bludvist? Listen, we just want to.." I stopped as the stranger turned his interest towards me.

"Hey, leave him alone!" Richard yelled, moving to my side.

The stranger was moving closer and closer. I was backing up. He seemed only interested in me. But why, I couldn't figure out.

"Uh.."

The stranger grabbed my hand. I let out a yell and ripped free. The stranger reacted by wincing and backing up for a moment. Then he outstreched a hand again, not threatening. I took a deep breath and offered my hand. The stranger grabbed it and turned it over to look at my palm.

He gasped and let go of my hand. The voice that came out of the helmet seemed very... female.

I stared at him... her? "Um, hello?"

Richard was at my side again, staring at the stranger. "Why does he want to look at your hand?"

"I don't know." I whispered back.

The stranger reached up and took off the helmet, revealing a female face. Brown hair and emerald green eyes. "Hiccup? Is that you? After all these years..."

I narrowed my eyes. "How do you know my name? Who are you?"

She stared back. "You wouldn't remember me... you were so small..."

I shook my head. "Okay, officially freaking me out."

"A mother never forgets." She said, looking at me.

Wait.

A mother.

A mother?!

I gasped and felt dizzy. I didn't have a mother. She was dead. For eighteen years, dead. This couldn't be true. But she knew me? How...?

Richard grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "You okay?"

My mother moved forward and offered a hand.

"But you're... you're dead! My mom is dead!" I wheezed.

"Come. I'll explain everything."

She turned and moved through a tunnel. Richard and me followed. I was still partially in a daze. We moved through turns and twists until we came into a huge area. There were plants and foliage all over the walls. Holes let sunlight in, and the air was clean and easy to breath. It was beautiful.

I let out a gasp. I began to feel odd.

Richard gasped as well.

My mother stood on the cliff, facing us. "Welcome to my home."

I shook my head as if to clear a fog. whatever was bothering me was getting worse. "But they said you were dead! But... how? Why didn't you come back?"

She glanced up and the owlish AI we had seen earlier dropped down and moved around her, staring at us. "Son, I... I was taken by an AI, but he never meant to hurt me. He took me to this place. Here, the AI are free. They are controlled by no one. They built this place to protect humans they believed were good. Humans that could help them free their bretheren from the monster computers."

I gaped. Richard's jaw hung open.

"So," She continued. "I help them by reprogramming them, protecting them, and being one of them. Humans and AI were meant to be together. But most humans just want to use them to destroy each other. Our ancestors created living creatures. Thinking creatures. And they used them for war. The AI decided to stop fighting, but they were forced by computers built after they tried to stop. One side made a computer so powerful, that it made the AI attack all humans. Wipe them from existance. Some managed to fight it's control. And here they are."

I was amazed. "Wow. Th.. this is.. well, I just don't have the words."

My mother beamed. "Follow me."

We made our way through the large area and stopped at a station. Inferno and Toothless were lying down while AI were doing something to them.

I approached Toothless. "Bud?"

He didn't answer.

My mother moved up to him. "We are freeing him."

I felt a sting of pain go through me. "What does that mean, exactly?"

She pointed to his head. "We removed something that was controlling him."

I suddenly realized what she meant. "His CAE? No, that doesn't control him, it gives him emotions!"

My mother's eyes widened. "It does? I thought... oh dear. Was it important?"

I felt another sting of pain, but I wasn't sure where it was coming from. "Yes, it was very important! It.. it was him!" The pain was increasing, getting to unbearable levels.

Richard spoke up. "Where is it? Toothless needs it!"

Valka shook her head. "I don't know, I told them to take care of it!"

Richard and Valka went blurry. Everything around me went dark and I collapsed, losing consciousness.

I was aware of Toothless's frightened cries and my heartbeat before I let darkness swallow me.